Is it worth learning Japanese right now in 2025?
Use the free tool — JapaneseDaily
Is Japanese worth learning right now?
Japanese is having a moment. According to the Duolingo Language Report 2025, Japanese became the fourth most-studied language in the world in 2025, passing German. That tells you interest is rising — it does not tell you how easy or useful it will be for you personally.
What you learn first: hiragana
Before grammar or vocabulary, Japanese uses 46 hiragana characters. The Japan Foundation says that after finishing unit 1 and about a week of practice, you should be able to read every basic Japanese sound. JapaneseDaily's unit 1 teaches hiragana, and every note includes romaji, so you are never stuck without a way to sound it out.
How the course lines up with JLPT N5
The JLPT is Japan's official proficiency test. Its first level, N5, covers about 100 kanji and 800 words. JapaneseDaily's phrases are built to sit inside that N5 level. This does not mean JapaneseDaily is connected to the JLPT organization, and it does not guarantee you will pass the exam. Please confirm exam dates, requirements, and results directly with JLPT.
What the course looks like day to day
- Real situations: greetings, work, the doctor, the apartment, the bank
- Listen and speak drills with spaced repetition
- No account, no ads, no hearts
- Unit 1 teaches hiragana, with romaji in every note
For games and streak battles, JapaneseDaily points to a separate tool called Kaira.
What it costs, and what we don't know
JapaneseDaily lists two paid plans: $4.99 and $29. No free plan is described in the material we have, so we can't call it fully free. We also don't know whether text you type or paste into the app is stored. Please check JapaneseDaily's own privacy policy or contact its support team before assuming anything about your data.
What to do next
This page is general information, not an official JLPT guarantee and not a promise about your personal results. The next real step is to try the course itself: JapaneseDaily's free drills work with your own answers and your own pace, not example numbers like the ones on this page. Start with unit 1's hiragana, see how the 46 characters feel after a week, and check the official JLPT site if you are working toward N5.