Editorial Team – Perapera

Rosetta Stone Japanese Review

Editorial Team — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 07:29:18 +0000

Editor’s Note: This Rosetta Stone Japanese Review has been updated on Feb 15th, 2022.

With around 127 million speakers, and Japan having the second largest economy in the world, being able to speak Japanese would be a huge personal asset for business, work or travel.

The language provides a gateway to understanding Asia’s great civilizations and cultural treasures. Plus, it’s not as hard as you think!

Did you know that Japanese has no articles or plurals? And apart from sharing the writing system with Chinese it’s considered one of the most unique languages in the world, with no direct derivative language that came before it.

So, you’re wondering what’s the best way to learn Japanese. The internet is jam-packed with all sorts of online language programs and various courses, which can be an absolute minefield to navigate and a nightmare to determine which one is deserving of your time and money.

Rosetta Stone is one of the most popular options available, boasting millions of students and used by over 1500 corporations – one that you might be considering. But is it really the best way to learn Japanese? Find out in our in-depth Rosetta Stone Japanese review.

Rosetta Stone Japanese Review: Summary

Name: Rosetta Stone Japanese

URL: rosettastone.com/languages/learn-japanese

Operating System: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS

Currency: USD, GBP, Euro, Yen, Won

Price: A 3 month-subscription of $35.97 for one language, 6 month subscription of $95.88 for one language, or a lifetime membership of $179 for all 25 languages. Additional 12 months of weekly 25 minute group coaching calls for an extra $100 (Lifetime Plus membership).

Application Category: Language Learning Software
Description: Taking its name from quite possibly the most famous rock in existence, Rosetta Stone has grown to become one of the most recognizable names in the language learning industry. It is currently the only language learning software company that is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange (Code: RST). They are the undisputed heavyweight champion of the language learning world, and have an undeniable influence on the entire industry.

In a Nutshell: Like the rest of Rosetta Stone’s courses, Rosetta Stone Japanese uses a series of quizzes to expose you to the target language, repeatedly testing you through a variety of different questions, all based upon isolated images and voice clips. Unfortunately we felt that the program was very overpriced and inefficient for learning Japanese alone, without using any supplementary textbooks or resources.

Quality:

Quantity:

Effectiveness:

Practicality:

Price:

 2/5

 3/5

 2/5

 3/5

 2/5

Overall Score: 2.4 / 5.0

 2.4/5

The Goods

Built-in speech recognition software
Lots of content
Can toggle on/off the Kanji, Hirogana, Katakana & Romanji
Professionally recorded audio (both male & female native voice)
Variety of gamified exercises
Diversity of pictures
Automatically reviews what you’ve learnt
Structured syllabus
Sleek website design & integrated app

The Bads

Expensive
Voice recognition software doesn’t always work properly
No placement test
Often teaches outdated/inauthentic language
Slow paced, time consuming and repetitive
No focus on pronunciation, grammar or writing
Not enough context or authentic dialogue

Rosetta Stone Japanese Review: Overview

At the core of the program is the multiple-choice style questions which systematically introduces new vocabulary and verbs, and then proceeds to test you on different combinations of these through a variety of different questions.

You are shown a series of photos and then asked to select the right answer based upon what you hear or read. The course is designed to be cumulative so that the learner is exposed to the new concepts progressively as they learn the language. The latest version now incorporates an online classroom with group tutoring, though it costs an extra fee.

A Rosetta Stone Japanese membership includes:

12 modules of lessons (each module had 4 lessons, each lesson has one hour of learning)
Live scheduled lessons (a few lectures per month)
On-demand videos (currently only four 1-minute videos, given in English)
Stories, read by a native speaker (typically two per module)
Audio companion – downloadable audio files to review what you’ve learnt
Alphabet – a table of Hiragana and Katakana with accompanying voice clip and Romanji
Group coaching classes (for Premium members only)

Rosetta Stone was one of the first language programs to incorporate a voice recognition software that prompts you to repeat the audio clips and will give you instant feedback by filling up a circle (green if correct, red if not). They advertise this element of their program as ‘the most advanced speech technology’, which perhaps was true in its prime, but we found that it had some issues (as we’ll see a bit later on).

Most voice recognition technology just isn’t there yet and most programs who have incorporated this software suffer the same problems. Therefore, Rosetta Stone might indeed have ‘the most advanced’ voice-recognition software, but that doesn’t mean that it works properly or is a valuable asset to your language learning.

So how useful is the course for learning Japanese? Let’s take a look at the Pros & Cons.

The Pros: What We Liked About Rosetta Stone Japanese

Pro #1: Original Innovator

Rosetta Stone has led innovation in the language learning space for nearly three decades now. Their positive contributions have helped millions of people learn more than two dozen languages and they have helped pave the way for innovation in the language learning sector. For this reason, they deserve some respect even if they are now a bit outdated.

Pro #2: Embraces Simplicity

When it comes to software applications, Rosetta Stone seems to have embraced the idea of creating simple and easy-to-use applications. Rosetta Stone is quite possibly the easiest language learning program out there. The interface is simple, easy to navigate and user friendly. Their website, billing system and the software itself are also well-designed with rich colors and beautiful typography. Aesthetically, the service is great.

Pro #3: Includes All The Japanese Writing Systems

We loved to see that you can easily switch between the Kanji, Romanji, and Katakana & Hiragana. Provided you already know the basics of the writing system, Rosetta Stone could be a great help for reading and learning the Kanji because you can test yourself by switched between the two writing systems.

Pro #4: Professionally Recorded Audio

We liked that you can hear the pronunciation very clearly and fluidly. A lot of competitor programs have a robotic-sounding voice with choppy clips that have been automatically stitched together (which is very off putting, let alone it’s obvious inauthenticity). Both a male and female voice are used interchangeably which is nice.

Pro #5: Flexible Learning

The app is well developed and is automatically synced with the desktop version, allowing you a lot of flexibility to learn from wherever. Furthermore, you can continue learning offline, and the downloadable audio files are great for listening to the language when you are on-the-go or out and about. Since it’s an online course and not a fixed classroom setting, you can easily fit your studies around your busy lifestyle. You can even turn off the speaking function if your out in public.

The Cons: The Things We Didn’t Like About Rosetta Stone Japanese

Con #1: Outdated Methods

Sometimes the traditional methods are traditional for a reason, because they’ve stood the test of time and they work. In the language learning world, however, a lot of research has been done to suggest that we need a lot more variety and stimulus to emulate an immersive learning environment, rather than just images and isolated audio clips. We also learn much more effectively when we are motivated to learn and enjoy the process, receiving a sense of satisfaction and progress.

Rosetta Stone would do well to consider using more motivational strategies to motivate learners, for example by earning points, maintaining learning streaks and unlocking bonus levels, like the more popular Duolingo. It’d also be more effective if they added more variety to the way they conduct the lessons. Every lesson is identical in its format, with the same style of questions. This can get very tedious and boring after a while, and can have a negative effect on our ability to memorise the information.

Con #2: Generic Syllabus

It was a big disappointment to see that the syllabus was identical to all the other languages that Rosetta Stone offers, which suggests the lack of thought that went into designing the course. Japanese is a very unique language and deserves a tailor-made program to get a proper understanding of the intricate grammar and unique characteristics. It seems they’ve started with English and then simply translated to all the languages that they offer. It’s really a terrible idea that can lead to confusion and inaccuracies.

For example, in English there aren’t too many differences between formal and informal language, however Japanese has an entire complex system of respect, known as ‘Keigo’. In the Japanese course this language point is crudely oversimplified and taught as if it were a direct translation to the English system.

Con #3: No Grammar Explanations

It’d be nice even to have a line or two in places just to clarify to much-needed grammar points that you inevitably encounter throughout the course. Japanese has a specific word order and a system of complex verb conjugations. Without any explanations, it’s incredibly difficult to get a proper understanding of how the language works and how to form your own sentences correctly, from just context alone.

Con #4: No Pronunciation Lessons

The voice-recognition software alone is not enough to teach you how to speak properly in Japanese. What you need is an in-depth explanation of all the pitch accent patterns and how to actually make the sounds with your mouth. This is very difficult from just an online language course but some competitor programs do it very well (see competitors). Unfortunately Rosetta Stone provides no instruction whatsoever so you’ll need to look elsewhere to learn the proper pronunciation in Japanese.

Con #5: Voice-Recognition Software Doesn’t Work Properly

For a feature that’s so widely advertised in the course we were surprised to find out that it didn’t work so well. It often marked us as correct even when we made deliberate errors to test it out (and vice versa). To be honest, we weren’t expecting it to be perfect (none of these built-in systems are) but we at least expected it to pick up on the right sounds. On a positive note, it does at least get you speaking, which is an essential component of language learning that is so often left by the wayside.

What Other Reviewers Had To Say…

Don’t just take our word for it, we encourage you to try the program out for yourself. When reading reviews of a language learning tool, it’s important to understand that everyone has different learning styles. And while the language learning community tends to review Rosetta Stone’s Japanese edition unfavorably, it’s not a uniform consensus.

However, some people have some pretty extreme views about the program, and things can get a little controversial at times. One staff writer at language101.com even offered to eat his Rosetta Stone discs if someone could carry a conversation in Japanese after practicing solely with Rosetta Stone for 45 minutes a day. He also expressed his frustration with their customer service department after not receiving answers to questions about the program:

Who Is Rosetta Stone Japanese For?

Those who might find the program useful are those who:

Are looking for a tailor-made program that can teach them some basic phrases and vocabulary
Are planning a trip to Japan and want to get used to the language before going
Prefer to learn through immersion rather than understand how the language works
Have a lot of motivation, time and dedication to finish the course

Who Is Rosetta Stone Japanese NOT For?

The program is probably not a best fit for you if:

You get bored easily and require some variety in your learning
You prefer to have real conversations and connect with real Japanese people
You want to learn about Japanese culture and traditions
You are looking to learn real-use language through dialogues and authentic material

Rosetta Stone Japanese Alternatives

While Rosetta Stone might be the global leader in language learning software products, that by no definition of the word means that it is the best and most comprehensive product out there. Thankfully there are many other innovative language learning programs that are worth your money and your time.

The two we are most willing to recommend today are JapanesePod101 and Rocket Japanese.

JapanesePod101: Tons of High Quality Material

JapanesePod101 is quite possibly the most well put together language learning product we’ve tested. It has literally thousands of audio and video lessons, and detailed pdf’s with useful cultural context, and intuitively designed lesson plans to help teach Japanese efficiently. In our opinion, JapanesePod101 is the clear and definitive winner in Japanese language instruction.

Read our review of JapanesePod101 here.

Rocket Japanese: A Well-Designed Course

Rocket Japanese is a close second, and provides a quality product that is well researched, logical, and provides tangible results. One of its main selling points is that it provides many useful lessons in the complex world of Japanese grammar. Japanese grammar and sentence structure bear almost no similarities to English, and Rocket Japanese teaches that system efficiently. This is completely devoid in the Rosetta Stone Japanese program.

Read our review of Rocket Japanese here.

Rosetta Stone Japanese Pricing

Rosetta Stone is definitely not cheap – most of the online criticisms are about the price. However, they have lowered the price in recent years and there’s now a few different options to choose from:

3 month-subscription -> $35.97 (Japanese only)
6 month subscription -> $95.88 (Japanese only)
Lifetime Membership -> $179 (for all 25 languages)
The group coaching calls vary in price from around $14-$19 for two 25 minute sessions.

They also offer a 30-day money-back guarantee if you are not satisfied with the program.

Is It Worth The Money?

When you compare the price to a traditional university course then it seems much more affordable. However, there’s many other programs that exist at a far lower price that will teach you Japanese more comprehensively than Rosetta Stone. In our opinion it’s simply not worth the hefty price tag.

Rosetta Stone Japanese Review: Conclusion

For such a large financial investment, shouldn’t a language learning program provide more than just word association and clunky software? The consensus in the language learning community is a definitive yes. You can get the same amount of practice for vocabulary far more efficiently by just using any standard space repetition system such as Anki.

We can see how the program could be useful for practicing reading Kana and Kanji since there’s a lot of written material included, such as the books. However, this is providing you know some of them already since they don’t teach you and it doesn’t really allow you to pick it up. For this reason we don’t recommend it for complete beginners since they don’t teach you the script.

Overall, the general concept is very good, it’s just executed poorly with not enough immersion in real-use language with proper context. Other language programs do a much better job at a fraction of the price.

You could learn exponentially faster by learning from a set of materials that you actually enjoy. In this day and age, you no need to learn through brute force, there’s loads of great authentic materials and modern courses to teach you Japanese, such as manga & anime, videos, music etc. for you to keep yourself interested and engaged on a daily basis. Self-study requires a knowledge of effective learning methods but allows you to tailor a much more effective program, plus you have the option to use a structured language course in tandem.

An effective Japanese program should provide ample context, examples, and explanation. which is why we believe JapanesePod101 is the best choice for learning Japanese. It has thousands of hours of video and audio content, and is as close as one can get to learning Japanese from a real teacher without the high price tag of taking classes.

JapanesePod101 has options for different budgets, and there really is no substitute that we’ve found that compares. With all of these options considered, we highly recommend JapanesePod101 for all of your language learning endeavors.

You can read our full review of JapanesePod101 by clicking the image below, or use our special discount link to get 65% off.

Editorial Team

Our Editorial Team is a group of language learning enthusiasts who are passionate about testing new apps and finding the best ways to learn a language.

Rocket Korean Review

Editorial Team — Mon, 14 Dec 2020 13:25:07 +0000

Note: The Rocket Korean program received some major updates in the new 2021 Edition. We’ve updated our Rocket Korean review below to reflect the changes.

The Korean language is unique in that it is considered by many to be a language isolate. This means that it is a natural language that has little to no association with another language. If you are considering learning Korean, you might be wondering what’s the best way to do so.

Korean is spoken by over 75 million people worldwide. Knowing the language opens doors to Korea’s ever-growing job market and deepens your travel experiences, getting an insight into a fascinating culture.

Apart from learning by total immersion, a quick internet search will yield a handful of online language-learning programs promising to teach you how to become fluent in Korean. Do they live up to their own hype? In this article, we’ll be reviewing one of the more popular language programs – Rocket Korean, a part of the award-winning Rocket Languages group.

Already made up your mind and looking to start your free trial account?

Rocket Korean Review: Summary

Name: Rocket Korean

URL: www.rocketlanguages.com/korean/premium

Operating System: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS

Currency: USD

Application Category: Language Learning Program

Price: One-time payment of $149.95 for lifetime access to Level 1 — Beginner to Intermediate. There are often coupons that can be applied for up to $50 off this price.

There is now the option to break down the cost of Rocket Korean into six monthly payments for added convenience.

Description: Rocket Korean is a product of Rocket Languages, a comprehensive language program with lessons on grammar, vocabulary and Korean culture. The lesson get you learning the Hangul from the very beginning and the platform features lots of extra learning tools, such as flashcards and voice recognition software.

In a nutshell: Overall, Rocket Korean is a brilliant option for those looking for an introductory course that covers all aspects of the Korean language (excluding reading). Our only issue is that it’s only for beginners and limits your progression, forcing you to find an alternative course beyond an intermediate level.

Quality of Learning Materials:

Quantity of Lessons:

Effective and Efficient:

Teaches Useful Phrases:

Price:

 4/5

 3/5

 4/5

 3/5

Overall Score: 3.6

 3.6/5

The Goods

Newest updates address customer concerns
Comprehensive - covers everything from writing to culture
Lots of prompting to practice what you learned
Interactive games and leaderboard helps keep you motivated
Course content is fully downloadable for offline learning
Free app with a membership

The Bads

Expensive
No activity in forums
Exercises can feel repetitive
Not enough focus on Chinese pronunciation
Voice recognition software is not always accurate
The teaching methodology is quite old fashioned, relying too much on memorisation
Beginner's course only

Rocket Korean Review: Overview

Unlike other Rocket Languages courses, Rocket Korean only offers a beginners course, taking you from beginner level to intermediate. Once you’ve completed the course you will have reached a good conversational level. The course consists of seven modules and a bonus “Survival Kit,” which offers quick vocab lessons that are ideal for travel and other specific situations.

The entire course contains over 120 hours of lesson time, broken down into 3 distinct lesson types:

32 Interactive audio lessons
28 Language and culture lessons
27 Writing lessons

Each lesson type focuses on a different skill or aspect of the language. For example, the audio lessons focus mainly on basic conversations by providing authentic dialogues, broken down line-by-line for you to practice and study.

The next type of lesson, the ‘language and culture’ lessons, go deeper into the Korean grammar, breaking the language down into its basic building blocks to help you understand how it works and eventually start constructing your own sentences.

FInally, the writing lessons introduce the Hangul writing system, letter by letter. Short videos show you the stroke order, accompanied by explanations and background information about each letter which helps with the memorisation. Unfortunately, there is no functionality for you to write the letters yourself (unlike other courses) so it’s recommended that you practice writing the Hangul out yourself on a notebook or pad of paper.

A membership to Rocket Korean not only gives you full access to the lesson but also offers:

reinforcement activities
members-only forum
progress tracking and leaderboard
voice-recognition for pronunciation practice
flash cards
mobile app for on-the-go learning

The Pros: What We Like About Rocket Korean

Pro #1: New, Simplified User Interface

We love the updates Rocket Languages made to its platform. In the past, users were a bit confused on where to begin lessons. Now, the dashboard is clearly labeled and numbered, so you can easily start or pick up where you left off.

Pro #2: Leaderboard

We are a bit on the competitive side, so we love the idea of the leaderboard. Comparing your progress to that of other users is one way to keep motivated to use the program each day. Daily study and maintaining motivation will help you achieve your goal of learning to speak Korean.

Pro #3: Lots (and lots) of Content

Each lesson is jam-packed with information. They even have extra testing and extension vocab for you to learn more content beyond the scope of the lessons. The new Survival Kit provides quick, easy-to-pick-up phrases if you are planning to travel soon. The cultural lessons offer additional insight into the language. All in all, there’s enough lessons to keep you occupied for quite some time.

Pro #4: Focuses on Authentic Language

We like how they’ve placed a big emphasis on real everyday language by incorporating an authentic dialogue into every audio lesson. You can listen to the native speakers and mimic their pronunciation and intonation by recording your own voice and playing it back alongside the native speaker. You can effectively take part in the dialogue too by taking on one of the roles in the dialogue. The computer will play only the audio of the other speaker, leaving gaps for you to speak, automatically recording your voice.

Pro #5: Useful Tools & Features

Within the learning platform, you’ll find some useful extra tools when you click on the profile icon. For example, they’ve integrated a flashcard function right into the program, allowing you to test yourself on what you’ve learnt, even create some of your own flashcard decks.

Other tools allow you to add notes during the lesson, save useful vocabulary into a vocab bank, and take benchmark tests to gage your level. And finally, let’s not forget the forum, which allows you to ask questions and connect with other like-minded students.

The Cons: What We Didn't Like About Rocket Korean

Con #1: Beginner’s-Only Course

You can only go so far with Rocket Korean’s course. If you are striving for fluency, you will need to find an additional program once you’ve finished this course. This can be a huge inconvenience because you will need to change to a new platform, after you’ve just got used to the Rocket Japanese teaching style. You might find overlap with other content and waste time re-learning content you know already. You may also have difficulty choosing what level to start at with a new program.

Con #2: Empty Forums

Though we love the idea of interactive user forums for questions and answers among users, we found that most are empty or outdated. Users simply aren’t using the forums very often making it difficult to connect with other Korean students.

Con #3: English is Used Too Much

We felt that the audio lessons were too English-heavy, with a big emphasis on explaining what everything means rather than just demonstrating and letting you figure it out yourself. This means that the lessons move quite slowly with everything getting clarified first in English. You may want to sometimes skip the audio files and dive straight into the dialogues to get as much immersion into the language as possible – something that’s very important when learning a language.

Con #4: Voice Recognition Software is Not Great

It’s awesome that they now include a voice recognition software to give you a score on your pronunciation, however it is far from perfect, often giving a perfect score even when I made deliberate mistakes. Instead, we’d like to see more focus on the pronunciation itself, how to make the unique sounds in Korean, rather than rely on a buggy technology. We’d recommend finding a Korean tutor on italki to help you hone your pronunciation skills.

Con #5: Can Get Repetitive

The practice exercises are all very similar, based upon memorisation only, which can get boring very quickly. We’d like to see more fun and varied ways of testing yourself rather than basic translation exercises.

What are the Lessons Like?

As mentioned, the course features 3 lesson types. They alternate throughout the course which helps to keep everything fresh and interesting. Each lesson takes around 20 to 40 minutes to complete and you can download the MP3 files for you to study whilst on the go (for example, when at the gym or on a commute). This makes it very easy to fit around your busy lifestyle.

The topics are very interesting and focus mainly on useful situations that you may encounter while living or travelling in Korea. For example, you’ll learn how to order food, hail a cab, or ask for directions. The culture lessons provide a fascinating insight into Korean society, looking at honorifics, traditions and dining etiquette.

At the end of each lesson, there’s a section called “Rocket Reinforcement” where you’ll find a series of activities to drill home what you’ve learnt. Each activity uses a slightly different method to test you on what you’ve learnt.

These activities are:

- Play it! Take part in the dialogue by recording your own voice.
- Flashcards: Translate each word or phrase and then rate it on how difficult you felt it was
- Hear it! Say it! You get fed each word and you are asked to record yourself pronouncing it
- Know it! You must translate the meanings
- Quiz: A multiple choice test

It’s also worth noting that you can change the difficulty of the ‘Rocket Record’ between hard and easy. Plus you can toggle the romanization on or off.

Some users have noted that they appreciate the fact that the instructors do not waste time engaging in eye-rolling jokes on the audio lessons (a common issue before the update). On the flip side, the lessons can now feel a little too dry in comparison to other programs.

Who Is Rocket Korean For?

Those who’ll get the most out of the course are those who:

are interested in learning about Korean culture and traditions
have time each day to study and progress through the lessons
are self-motivated and independent learners
plan to live, work or travel in Korea
are looking for a solid introduction to the Korean language

Who Is Rocket Korean NOT For?

Those who might not be a best fit for Rocket Korean are those who:

Rocket Korean vs. Competition

Rocket Korean vs. Pimsleur Korean

Pimsleur Korean offers a premium monthly subscription for $19.95. Like Rocket, it includes mostly audio lessons, but you can also find quizzes and flashcards for visualization. Up to three household members can use the account on different devices. It also offers some reading lessons in addition to audio.

Rocket Korean vs. KoreanClass101

KoreanClass101 is a member of Innovative Languages’ Pod101 courses. It has three monthly subscription levels based upon how much access and learning features you want. It claims to be one of the fastest and most fun ways to become fluent in Korean. Lessons are comprehensive and include both video and audio along with transcripts. Expertise levels range from absolute beginner to advanced speaker.

Read our full review of KoreanClass101 here.

Rocket Korean vs. Duolingo Korean

Duolingo Korean is a game-like application designed to make learning to speak the language fun. You will find a variety of exercises including fill in the blank, multiple choice and arranging words in order. Understanding the most basic aspects of Korean is a good idea before starting Duolingo, as there are few to no grammar explanations.

Is Rocket Korean Worth the Money?

All in all, the price is very affordable for a serious student. There is plenty of content for the absolute beginner to get started in Korean. For a comparable program, you will have to fork over a monthly subscription fee. We’re a big fan of the one-time or six-month payment plan fees with Rocket Languages.

Rocket Korean Review: Conclusion

We want to love Rocket Korean like we do other Rocket Languages, but our biggest complaint is the lack of intermediate to advanced lessons. For the price, you do get a good quantity of information you can access for a lifetime, but you are limited in how far you can progress in Korean.

It’s definitely worth it for all of the comprehensive information that’s packed into the 8 modules (plus all the extra tools). Rocket Korean is an excellent introductory course with everything you’ll need to reach a basic conversational level.

However, in order to become fluent, you will need to find an additional course. This can be a huge inconvenience financially as well as academically when you consider various learning methods between programs. Still, if you only need a basic introduction to the language and a few phrases, Rocket Korean will suffice.

Editorial Team

Our Editorial Team is a group of language learning enthusiasts who are passionate about testing new apps and finding the best ways to learn a language.

UrduPod101 Coupon Code

Editorial Team — Mon, 14 Dec 2020 10:09:42 +0000

Learning to speak Urdu can be a rewarding venture, considering there are almost 70 million native speakers and over 100 million L2 speakers worldwide! UrduPod101 is the best online Urdu learning program that we reviewed (click here to read our full review of UrduPod101!), and fortunately, it doesn’t have to be an expensive one thanks to these epic UrduPod101 coupon codes.

UrduPod101 Promotions

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UrduPod101 Coupon—How it Works

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Editorial Team

Our Editorial Team is a group of language learning enthusiasts who are passionate about testing new apps and finding the best ways to learn a language.

Rocket Chinese Review

Editorial Team — Mon, 14 Dec 2020 09:38:07 +0000

Note: The Rocket Chinese program received some major updates in the fall of 2020 for the 2021 Version. We’ve updated our Rocket Chinese review below to reflect the changes.

With more people speaking Chinese more than any other language, brushing up on your Chinese language skills is a great way to get ahead in a fast-paced globalized world. Among the different Chinese varieties, which are mutually unintelligible to each variety’s speaker, are Mandarin, Wu, Min, Gan, Hakka, Xiang and Cantonese.

However, learning to speak Chinese can be a challenging undertaking for anyone to pursue. If you are considering trying to learn this language, you may be wondering what’s the best way to do so. Rocket Chinese is a great option to consider for your language studies – a comprehensive course with over 366 hours of structured lessons, teaching you everything from grammar to Hanzi, the Chinese writing system.

But is Rocket Chinese really worth your time and money? How does it compare to other Chinese language programs? Read on to find out in our honest Rocket Chinese Review.

Already made up your mind and looking to start your free trial account?

Rocket Chinese Review: Summary

Name: Rocket Chinese

URL: www.rocketlanguages.com/chinese/premium

Operating System: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS

Currency: USD

Price: One-time payment of $149.95 for Level 1 — Beginner to Intermediate; $299.90 for Levels 1 & 2 — Beginner to Advanced; $449.85 for Levels 1, 2 & 3 — Beginner to Advanced. However, you can get from $50 to $190 off these prices with special coupon codes. A payment plan is now available for the entire lesson series — Beginner to Advanced — for just $47 a month for six months.

Description: Rocket Chinese offers a comprehensive course to help you reach your language-learning goals, promising to cut your learning time in half by using their dedicated learning platform. It offers a well-balanced learning system which covers a variety of individual learning styles.

In a Nutshell: With lots of cool features like their game-like leaderboard system, points and study streak, it’s easy to stay motivated with Rocket Chinese. The updated version for 2021 takes into account customer feedback, and now includes lots of bonus features and new content that is both modern and relevant to daily life in China. Though costly, it’s now one of the better Chinese language programs on the market.

Quality:

Quantity:

Effectiveness:

Practicality:

Price:

 4/5

 5/5

 3.5/5

 4/5

 3.5/5

Overall Score: 4.0 / 5.0

 3.8/5

The Goods

Newest updates address customer concerns

Comprehensive - covers everything from writing to culture

Lots of prompting to practice what you learned

Interactive games and leaderboard helps keep you motivated

Course content is fully downloadable for offline learning

Free app with a membership

The Bads

Expensive

No activity in forums

Subject to some spam

Exercises can feel repetitive

Not enough focus on Chinese pronunciation

Voice recognition software is far from perfect

上 (Shàng) means 'up' in Chinese.

Rocket Chinese Review: Overview

If you’ve never heard of Rocket Languages, it’s an online-based language learning program that offers a true on-the-go learning experience for complete beginners.
The course is broken down into 3 main levels which can be bought individually, each one increasing in difficulty. Overall, there’s 23 modules (spread evenly amongst the levels) and a ‘survival kit’, containing many extra vocab lessons on useful topics ranging from catching a cab to socialising in China.

There are 3 main lesson types.

Unlike other programs, they don’t just focus on the pinyin (the romanization), but they actually introduce you to the Chinese characters from the very beginning. Rocket Chinese offers a number of ways to learn along with several learning tools and useful tips.

You can test yourself on the stroke order.

If you need a quick lesson for travel purposes, the syllabus is easy to navigate to find exactly what you’re looking for. Generally though, it’s recommended to go through the lessons in order since they build upon one another in a logical way.
A membership to Rocket Chinese comes with full access to:

audio lessons (containing authentic dialogues & downloadable MP3 file)

Language & culture lessons

Extensive memorization exercises including integrated flashcards

Your personal dashboard with tracked progress

leaderboard and points system

forums that allow you ask questions and connect with other students

There's loads of interesting cultural information.

The Pros: What We Like About Rocket Chinese

Pro #1: No Subscription - Flexible Payment Options

Unlike most language-learning programs, Rocket Chinese does not charge a monthly subscription fee. Instead, you pay a one-time fee for a lifetime account. This may sound quite committing, but it’s useful to know that they offer a very generous 60-day refund policy if you are not satisfied with the course.
Additionally, if you purchase all three levels, you can set up a monthly payment plan, so you don’t have to fork out the money all at once.

Pro #2: Comprehensive Lessons with Transcripts

Each audio lesson is taught by two instructors, and at least one is a native speaker. The dialogue is very engaging and useful to daily life, and is broken down line-by-line for you to practice. They encourage you to repeat what you hear and they even leave gaps in the audio for you to work on your pronunciation. Listening to the audio whilst reading along to the transcript is a brilliant way to improve your listening skills.

You can take on the role of Dave or Lin and actually participate in the dialogue.

Pro #3: Simple and Easy-To-Use Dashboard

The newly-revamped dashboard makes the program super-easy to use. Rocket Languages listened to customer complaints about being confused with the old dashboard and took it to heart. You now have a clean, updated dashboard to check your progress on the leaderboard, personal progress, change lessons, and access all learning tools.

Pro #4: Variety of Lesson Types

We like how they keep you engaged and interested by mixing up the lessons throughout the course. First, there’s the audio lessons, which get speaking straight away and up to speed on simple conversations. Next, the grammar is explained in depth in the language and culture lessons (as well as lots of fascinating cultural insights).

A typical grammar lesson.

Finally, you have the writing lessons which teach you the chinese characters through short videos and explanations. It seems that whenever you start to get bored in a lesson the next one focuses on a different skill or aspect of the language, keeping it all very fresh and engaging. You can also dip into the survival kit at any time to boost your Chinese vocabulary.

Pro #5: Immersive

The course immerses you in the language from the get-go, and by level 3 almost everything is in Chinese, giving you constant practice and exposure to new material. The lessons often contain many bonus vocab lists and exercises which go beyond the scope of the lesson, allowing you to further expand your knowledge if you wish to do so.

The Cons: What We Don’t Like About Rocket Chinese

Con #1: The Lessons Skip Around

By this, we mean that lessons do not always feel very linear and can jump from subject to subject. Instructors sometimes input their own jokes or take on the lesson that aren’t necessarily relevant at that particular time, and it can take away from the instruction and overall flow of the lesson. We’d like to see some more common themes or topics that tie everything together, rather than disjointed topics that are seemingly random.

Con #2: Exercises can be Repetitive

We get it, repetition is a big part of learning another language, but many of these exercises are exactly the same as others with just a few words changed up. This kind of repetition can get boring really quickly and make you less interested in pursuing your course.

Con #3: Heavily Based on Memorisation

The exercises place a huge emphasis on memorisation, through the use of flashcards, testing games, quizzes etc. Whilst I agree that this can be useful in learning vocab, it’s certainly not the only way to learn and it doesn’t suit everybody. We’d like to see more variety in the exercises that focus more on real world applications and creative methods for testing what you’ve learnt.

Constant memorization gets boring & exhausting after a while.

Con #4: No Focus on Chinese Reading

It seems that Rocket Japanese has all bases covered however when it comes to reading the program is seriously lacking. Reading is an essential component to learning Chinese and unfortunately you’ll have to find your own resources outside of the course.

Con #5: Not the Best for Advanced Speakers

If you already have a good base in Chinese, you will probably need to look elsewhere for more in-depth and advanced teaching. We think Rocket Chinese can be valuable mostly for beginning to low-intermediate learners, but there is simply less content for advanced speakers.

What are the Lessons Like?

The program mainly centres around audio lessons with accompanying transcripts. The transcripts allow you to follow along with what you hear. Written lessons give quite a bit of detail about certain aspects of Chinese such as when and how to use certain words, and some useful mnemonic and memory tricks to help you remember what you’ve learnt.

All the lessons follow pretty much the same basic format.

As we’ve briefly mentioned already, there’s also a variety of activities that accompany the lessons including Sort It!, Write It!, Hear It!/Say It!, flashcards and quizzes. These can help to practice what you’ve learned and give you some experience writing, listening and speaking. You can also keep up with your progress with regular quizzes.
Additionally, most lessons include a brief culture lesson to give you more insight into Chinese.

Did you know that China has 56 recognized ethnic groups?

Who Is Rocket Chinese For?

We feel that Rocket Chinese would be a best fit with those who:

Are motivated and dedicated to their language studies

Have time to practice daily

Are looking for a comprehensive, one-size-fits-all language program to teach them spoken Chinese

Have plans to live, work or study in China

Are looking to learn some basic phrases for travel or for fun

Enjoy independent studying and learning at their own pace

Who Is Rocket Chinese NOT For?

However, the course is not for everyone. Those who might not benefit from the program are those who:

struggle with self-motivation and would be better suited with a dedicated language tutor

prefer to learn through conversation with native speakers

are looking for reading material to immerse themselves more in chinese

are visual learners (this course focuses mostly on listening)

cannot afford the hefty one-time payment and would prefer a monthly subscription plan

Rocket Chinese vs. Competition

Rocket Chinese vs. ChineseClass101

ChineseClass101 is a part of Innovative Language’s Pod101 courses. Like Rocket Chinese, it provides an in-depth learning of the Chinese language including grammar essentials, cultural norms and Chinese characters. It also builds upon each level to increase your overall understanding with a guided, academic learning pathway. ChineseClass101 has three monthly subscription levels to choose from ranging in price from $8 to $47.
Read our full review of ChineseClass101 here.

Rocket Chinese vs. Pimsleur Chinese

Pimsleur Chinese is a language-learning program based upon organic learning. It consists mostly of audio lessons, which can be a drawback for learning Chinese characters, writing and reading. However, Pimsleur’s method is based on the idea that you learn another language the same way you learned your native language—by listening and repeating what you hear. There is a monthly subscription fee of $19.95 for premium service.

Rocket Chinese vs. Rosetta Stone

Rosetta Stone is one of the classics in language learning for good reason. You can either purchase a lifetime membership or pay a monthly subscription fee. Like Rocket Chinese, it offers a structured course to learn to speak the language. We found that most of the practice exercises are multiple choice, and this doesn’t give students as much leeway to learn variations of the language.

Is Rocket Chinese a Good Investment?

In a word, yes. With the latest updates for 2021, we have to say that Rocket Chinese is right up there with some of the most comprehensive language-learning programs. The price point is on par with other programs, and it is much cheaper than taking a college course in Chinese.

Try Rocket Chinese For Free

Rocket Chinese Pricing

There are several different options when it comes to pricing. You can buy each level individually or go for all 3 levels at once (the best value option).
Hint: Use the discount code ‘EARLYBIRD’ to get a hefty discount on your order:

Level 2 and level 3 are also available to purchase individually. The one time payment plan gives you lifetime access to all the tools, content and future updates.
Prefer to pay in installments? You can get all 3 levels on a subscription plan by paying $44 every month for 6 months. You can cancel at any time.
And finally, they offer a 60-day returns policy if you are not satisfied with the course.

Rocket Chinese Review: Conclusion

We really like that Rocket Chinese listened to customer feedback to improve their platform. With that being said, it still has it’s issues and can feel old-fashioned in it’s teaching methodology. However, without a doubt, it’s still a very effective way to learn Chinese. The platform is easy-to-use and provides an in-depth way to learn to read, write and speak Mandarin Chinese.
The serious student should have no problem achieving a decent level of fluency by completing all three levels. Since there is no recurring monthly fee, students can take their time to complete the course and study on a flexible schedule.

Sign Up For A FREE Trial of Rocket Chinese

Editorial Team
Our Editorial Team is a group of language learning enthusiasts who are passionate about testing new apps and finding the best ways to learn a language.

FilipinoPod101 Coupon Code

Editorial Team — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 10:50:16 +0000

If you’ve decided to learn to speak Filipino — a fun language spoken by almost 70 million people — you cannot go wrong using FilipinoPod101, a comprehensive language-learning program by Innovative Language. We even have these incredible discount codes to help you get started while saving money.

FilipinoPod101 Coupon Codes

Both new and existing members are eligible to take advantage of the following FilipinoPod101 Coupon Codes.

Each deal has been verified to work as of Oct 2021, so contact us if you encounter any issues.

FilipinoPod101—30% Off Coupon

The link below can save you 30% off regular subscription costs when you sign up for a two-year subscription. That’s up to $165. Simply, click the link and your discount is automatically applied.

FilipinoPod101 30% OffGet Up To $165 Off

FilipinoPod101—60% Off Special Promo

Save 60% off regular subscription costs when you sign up for the top-secret Lifetime subscription plan. Pay a one-time fee and you gain access to FilipinoPod101 for life. This plan gives you the chance to take your time learning without feeling like you’re wasting money.

FilipinoPod101 60% OffPremium Only

FilipinoPod101—77% Off Secret Promo

Those who want to learn more than one language can benefit from another top-secret subscription plan—Three-Language Lifetime subscription. Pay once and you can access FilipinoPod101 and two other languages of your choice for life. This will save 77% off regular subscription costs if you use the programs for five years or more.

FilipinoPod101 77% OffPremium Only

Using Your FilipinoPod101 Coupons

New FilipinoPod101 Members

Choose one of the above discounts.
1. Basic, Premium, or PremiumPLUS are the monthly plans to choose. We will cover these plans in detail later.
2. Set up your payment information using Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or PayPal.
3. Determine the length of the subscription remembering longer subscriptions will save more money.
4. Check your email for a link to verify your account and begin your studies.

Existing FilipinoPod101 Members

1. Log into FilipinoPod101, and then return to this page.
2. Choose one of the above discounts.
3. You will be guided through the steps to claim your deal.

Can These Discounts be used Everywhere?

Yes, as long as you have internet access, you can use these discount codes.

Which Plan is Best?

Basic

The Basic plan is best for you if:

• you are on a budget but still need access to the entire lesson library
• you are traveling soon and would like quick phrases to get by

Premium

The Premium plan is best for you if:

• you want access to all the learning tools available including flashcards and voice recognition
• you prefer interactive lesson quizzes to make sure you know your material
• you have friends and family who speak Filipino

PremiumPLUS

The PremiumPLUS plan is best for you if:

• you prefer some one-on-one instruction
• you want ongoing testing to make sure you are progressing
• you like the idea of personalized learning plans

If you can’t choose, another option is to try out the Premium plan for $1 for your first month. Click the link below.

Premium Plan $1 FilipinoPod101

Editorial Team

Our Editorial Team is a group of language learning enthusiasts who are passionate about testing new apps and finding the best ways to learn a language.

HindiPod101 Coupon Code

Editorial Team — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 09:33:29 +0000

There are so many great reasons to learn to speak the Hindi language, including the 322 million speakers worldwide. Overpriced language-learning programs should not deter anyone from achieving this goal. That’s why we’ve uncovered the following HindiPod101 coupon codes — from 30% to 77%, depending on what you’re looking for.

Discount Codes for HindiPod101

These HindiPod101 coupon and discount codes have been verified to work as of October, 2021.

30% Coupon for HindiPod101

Save up to $165, or 30% off a two-year subscription when you sign up with our link below. Keep in mind that your discount is already applied.

HindiPod101 30% Coupon CodeGet Up To $165 Off

60% Coupon for HindiPod101

If you plan to make learning to speak Hindi a regular thing, you will love to hear about this little-known plan. Pay just a one-time fee and you can get access to HindiPod101 for life. This lifetime subscription plan can save up to 60% off regular rates when you use it for five years or more.

HindiPod101 60% Coupon CodePremium Only

77% Coupon for HindiPod101

For those interested in learning more than one language over their lifetime, check out this other little-known plan. Again, you just pay once, and you are granted access to three language programs for life. If you use the programs for five years or more, you can save over 77% off regular rates.

HindiPod101 77% Coupon CodePremium Only

Are These Coupon Codes Available Everywhere?

Yes, you can take advantage of these discounts as long as you are able to access the internet.

How to use the HindiPod101 Coupons

New Subscribers

1. Choose the discount above that best suits your needs.
2. Pick a subscription plan including Basic, Premium, or PremiumPLUS. More details on the plans are provided later.
3. Use MasterCard, Visa, American Express, or PayPal to set up your payment information.
4. Choose how long to subscribe. Keep in mind that longer subscriptions save more money overall.
5. Click the link in your email to verify your account and begin your studies.

Current Subscribers

1. Log into your existing HindiPod101 account and return to this page.
2. Choose one of the discounts to suit your needs.
3. Follow the steps to claim your discount.

Which Plan Should You Choose?

Basic

The Basic plan features:

• Complete access to the video and audio lesson library
• Quick, conversational lessons for travel or work
• Most inexpensive plan with access on computers, Android and iOS

Premium

The Premium plan features:

• Interactive lesson quizzes and detailed lesson notes
• Learning tools including flashcards, voice-recording, Hindi audio dictionary, and season words

PremiumPLUS

The PremiumPLUS plan features:

• One-on-one learning
• Personalized assignments and learning plans
• Ongoing assessments

If you still can’t decide which plan to choose, sign up for Premium and your first month will only cost $1.

HindiPod101 $1 Trial

Editorial Team

Our Editorial Team is a group of language learning enthusiasts who are passionate about testing new apps and finding the best ways to learn a language.

11 Best Japanese Learning Software Picks

Editorial Team — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 04:52:58 +0000

Whether it’s for personal travel, business or family connections, you’ve decided you want to learn to speak Japanese online. So, how do you know who offers the best Japanese learning software? Have no fear, we have done our research and tested over 50 apps. The following are our top 10 picks for the best Japanese language-learning programs (and one bonus, just for luck).

1. JapanesePod101

JapanesePod101 offers over 10,000 hours of videos and podcast lessons to teach you to speak Japanese. You will find grammar lessons, cultural lessons, and the latest Japanese news and events.

There are four subscription levels from $4 to $47 per month. There is also a free subscription which offers a lot of material. You can also find coupon codes to discount the monthly cost.
Check out our full JapanesePod101 review.

Pros

Tons of learning content

Useful Learning Tools

Grammar and culture lessons

English is phased out in advanced lessons

Cons

Lacking in speaking practice

Quite expensive

Better methods out there for learning Kanji

Price:
Effectiveness:
User Experience:

 3/5

 3/5

 5/5

CHECK LATEST PRICE

2. Olly Richard's Japanese Uncovered

This is a new addition to our list in 2021, as we hadn’t tried this course until recently. Japanese Uncovered is a beginner Japanese course (intermediate also available) created by Olly Richards, a polyglot who believes in the power of story to learn a language.

Japanese Uncovered’s hosts: Olly Richards and Ai Sensei

Our editors recommend this as one of the most entertaining and effective structured courses for learning beginner Japanese.
Read our full review of Japanese Uncovered.

Pros

Comprensive course covering everything from speaking to grammar

Ties everything together through an enjoyable story

Gradually increases in difficulty

Cons

Lack of additional learning tools (like flashcards and voice-recording tools)

Lessons can be drawn out

Expensive

Price:
Effectiveness:
User Experience:

 3/5

 5/5

 5/5

CHECK LATEST PRICE

3. Pimsleur Japanese

Pimsleur Japanese uses four key principles put together by Dr. Paul Pimsleur with the belief that you learn a foreign language best when you learn it like you did your native language—by listening and repeating. These principles include focusing only on core vocabulary words, optimally-timed repetition, the principle of anticipation and organic learning (as mentioned).

Pimsleur is $14.95 each month you choose to use it. You can upgrade to Premium features for $19.95 per month. These features will include more, but not extensive, emphasis on writing and grammar.
Read our full review of Pimsleur Japanese.

Pros

All lessons are 30 minutes or less

Audio-only lessons can be accessed anywhere

All vocabulary taught is useful

Easy-to-use interface

Cons

Lacking grammar explanations

One of the most expensive programs

Lessons can be boring

No writing or reading lessons

Price:
Effectiveness:
User Experience:

 2/5

 3/5

 3/5

View on Google Play

View on Apple Store

4. Anki

Anki is an app available for smartphones and desktops. It consists of spaced-repetition flashcards designed to help you memorize kanji and Japanese vocabulary. Spaced repetition introduces new words at varying intervals that are optimized for memorization. After each flashcard, you determine whether it was easy, medium or difficult. You will see your difficult cards more often until they become easy.
Anki is a free download for Android devices and $24.99 for iOS devices. With the ability to import your own cards from textbooks and even JLPT lists, it is well worth the money.

Pros

Anki’s algorhythm enhances memorization

Useful learning tool

Can make your own flashcards

Cons

Not a complete language program

Does not offer grammar explanations

Difficult to write characters

Price:
Effectiveness:
User Experience:

 5/5

 5/5

 5/5

View on Google Play

View on Apple Store

5. Tae Kim’s Guide to Learning Japanese for iPhone

Tae Kim’s Guide to Learning Japanese is a book based on the principle that Japanese simply cannot be taught in English. It has been converted into a mobile app for easy access and covers grammar in-depth along with vocabulary with kanji and hiragana and katakana with content that his relevant and interesting.
You can purchase the book or use the desktop version or app for free or donation if you choose.

Pros

The most comprehensive covering of Japanese grammar

Variety of tools, books, videos to assist in learning

Listening, speaking, writing and reading practice

Now available in iOS and Android

Cons

Not much audio/video content

Some type mistakes

Price:
Effectiveness:
User Experience:

 5/5

 5/5

 5/5

View on Apple Store

6. Lang-8’s HiNative-Language Learning

Lang-8 is unlike most other language-learning programs in that is is basically a social blogging sight in which you post and comment with others speaking Japanese. Native speakers proofread and correct your text for you. An absolute beginner might have trouble jumping right in, but it is a great way to get authentic, native dialogue going and possibly even make friends. Lang-8 is easy to use and you can sort blog entries by language or topic.

Pros

Native speakers help correct Japanese

Easy to use interface

Fun way to study and make friends

Ideal supplemental learning tool

Cons

Brand-new users will have trouble jumping in

No direct language lessons

Price:
Effectiveness:
User Experience:

 5/5

 4/5

 5/5

View on Apple Store

View on Google Play

7. Duolingo Japanese

Duolingo Japanese is a fun and motivating way to learn Japanese. It is designed to feel like a game complete with level-ups and rewards. On the flip side, you will also find that you lose “lives” and cannot always proceed when you get something wrong. Duolingo is excellent at motivation and introducing hiragana, katakana, kanji and romaji right from the beginning.

It offers little, if any, grammar explanations and introduces new phrases and topics quite fast for beginners. Duolingo is free as an app or desktop version with Premium features for $9.95 per month.
Read our full review of Duolingo Japanese.

Pros

Highly motivating and fun

Useful phrases

Includes hiragana, katakana, kanji and romaji

Cons

Little grammar and writing

Moves quickly for beginners

Some translations are inaccurate/confusing

Price:
Effectiveness:
User Experience:

 5/5

 2/5

 4/5

View on Apple Store

View on Google Play

8. WaniKani

WaniKani uses mnemonics to teach you radicals, the building blocks of Kanji. All words come from the official kanji guide put forth by the Japanese Ministry of Education and are useful in everyday communication. It uses spaced repetition flash cards to help you memorize radicals, kanji and vocabulary words.
WaniKani is free to try for the first three lessons and then there is a small monthly charge. It is also highly recommended that you have a good understanding of hiragana and katakana prior to starting this program.

Pros

Uses mnemonics for memorizing

Words learned from the Japanese Ministry of Education

Teaches radicals to learn kanji

Example sentences for vocabulary

Cons

Should know hiragana and katakana beforehand

Not a grammar program

Cannot go back and retake levels

Price:
Effectiveness:
User Experience:

 4/5

 3/5

 4/5

Go to Site

9. LingoDeer Japanese

LingoDeer Japanese is another game-like way to learn to speak Japanese. It claims to have you learning to speak Japanese from your very first day. Using a building-block approach, LingoDeer slowly adds to what you’ve learned in previous levels. It uses audio from native Japanese speakers and integrates culture and grammar into each lesson.
LingoDeer costs $11.99 per month, but you can purchase lifetime access for a one-time purchase of $99.99. There are also three-month and yearly subscription levels.

Pros

Fun and motivating game-like app

Heavy focus on pronunciation

Grammar tips and notes within lessons

Cons

Lack of speaking practice

Not a well-structured course

Price:
Effectiveness:
User Experience:

 4/5

 3/5

 5/5

View on Apple Store

View on Google Play

10. Memrise

Memrise uses a three-step approach to learning Japanese based upon how you learned your native language. First, it uses real-life scenarios to keep lessons interesting. Next, you are immersed in video and audio lessons from native speakers. Finally, you practice speaking. Memrise’s smart learning engine automatically adapts to each learner.
Memrise Japanese offers both a free version and a PRO version. The PRO version is $129.99 for a lifetime membership or you can purchase monthly or yearly access. Upgrading to the PRO version will yield you the ability to converse with chatbots, adaptive technology and access to your learning statistics.

Pros

Great content for beginners

Customization options

Interesting content and visually appealing

Native speakers supply information for lessons

Cons

No structure to learning format

Absolute beginners may get confused

Price:
Effectiveness:
User Experience:

 4/5

 3/5

 4/5

View on Apple Store

View on Google Play

11. Rocket Japanese

Rocket Japanese is an extensive program designed to take you all the way to Japanese fluency. Based mostly upon interactive audio lessons, you will encounter comprehensive explanations of grammar and pronunciation.
Rocket Japanese is different from other programs in that you purchase your lessons instead of monthly subscriptions. There are a total of three lessons designed to take you from absolute beginner to advanced speaker. You have the option of purchasing one, two or all three lessons for a one-time fee—anywhere from $99.95 to $259.90.

Pros

Extensive language-learning program

Customized learning

Quick lessons

Plenty of speaking activities

Cons

Sometimes technical difficulties with microphone

Lengthy, unnecessary explanations

Confusion when beginning lessons

Price:
Effectiveness:
User Experience:

 3/5

 5/5

 4/5

View on Apple Store

View on Google Play

The Best Japanese Learning Software: Final Thoughts

Every person has a different learning style and focus in their language study. That said, whether you’re looking for an extensive Japanese course, a kanji learning app, a supplemental app for a more extensive course, we think you will find it in this list!

Editorial Team
Our Editorial Team is a group of language learning enthusiasts who are passionate about testing new apps and finding the best ways to learn a language.

Duolingo Chinese Review

Editorial Team — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 02:58:48 +0000

Editor’s note: This Duolingo Chinese Review is up to date as of June 13th, 2021.

If you’ve ever started studying a second language before then you’ve probably already heard of Duolingo. It’s currently one of the most popular language-learning apps on the market, offering dozens of different languages to learners all over the world. Therefore, it is of no surprise that they now offer the most widely-spoken language in the world – Chinese.

0

Chinese Speakers Worldwide (Approx.)

However, is Duolingo Chinese really the best way to learn Chinese? Check out our in-depth Duolingo Chinese Review to find out.

Duolingo Chinese is available both on desktop and smartphone app.

Duolingo Chinese Review: Summary

Name: Duolingo Chinese
URL: www.duolingo.com/course/zh/en/Learn-Chinese
Operating System: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS
Currency: USD

Price: Basic version is free. Duolingo Plus has a 14 day free trial and costs $6.99/month thereafter.
Description: Duolingo is a gamified language program featuring a slick and attractive user interface, with over 120 million users around the world. Alongside Mandarin Chinese, they also offer 19 other languages including German, French, Dutch and Japanese.

In a nutshell: You are guided along a linear syllabus that’s broken down into units and subsequent chapters. Each chapter focuses on a different topic such as ‘greetings’ or ‘family’. You complete each level by answering a series of quizzes, winning gems, unlocking new levels and by trying to avoid losing too many hearts.

Quality of Learning Materials:

Quantity of Lessons:
Effective and Efficient:
Teaches Useful Phrases:
Price:

 3/5

 4/5

 2/5

 3/5

 5/5

Overall Score: 3.4 / 5.0

 3.4/5

The Goods

Topics are useful, varied and relevant to daily life

The lessons follow a logical order and gradually become more difficult

The interface is very simple and easy to use

Chinese characters are taught from the very beginning

Big emphasis on maintaining a learning streak and staying motivated

The Bads

The lessons don’t focus enough on the meaning of the words/characters

The questions can become repetitive

The hearts feature discourages you from making mistakes and can stunt your learning

No focus on grammar, tones or pronunciation

Duolingo Chinese Review: Overview

Duolingo Chinese promises to get you speaking fluent Chinese — tones included — in no time at all. They proudly boast on their website that their learning methodology is the ‘best way to learn a language’. Some might argue otherwise.
The program has a game-like set up which makes you want to keep learning Chinese to unlock more levels and gain achievements/badges. You collect blue gems by completing each level that you can then spend in the Duolingo store on items like outfits and extra lives for your game.
The chapters teach you to match the pinyin to the Chinese characters while introducing new vocabulary. Unless you already have some Chinese background, knowing what the Chinese characters actually mean is pretty much a guessing game.

Each lesson has a combination of guessing the missing word, matching words and characters, or matching sounds and characters. Eventually, you will move on to building your own sentences by listening to the audio and selecting the correct words in order. A few other features you will find with Duolingo Chinese include:

Compete against other learners with leaderboards (only available once you’ve completed 6 lessons)

Follow/be followed by friends and compare your progress alongside them

Daily progress goals & notifications

Discussion board with other Duolingo users (desktop version only)

Schedule of Chinese events

Online dictionary (desktop version only)

Duolingo Chinese: PROS

Whilst there is a lot to improve, there are some things that Duolingo does very well. Let’s dive into some of the things we really liked about the program.

Pro #1: Fun and Motivating

Duolingo Chinese really excels in terms of motivating learners to continue studying the language. As you complete each level you win gems that you can use in the store for extra lives, more points, and other game-related items. You are awarded for completed levels and for completing your daily set time limit. Overall, you feel lots of little motivated nudges, even the satisfying ‘ding’ of getting an answer correct is enough to get the dopamine flowing.

One thing we liked is that they really push the learning ‘streak’ by sending you notifications, allowing you to make wagers for additional gems or even being included in exclusive groups once you’ve achieved a specific streak duration. This way you can really make learning a habit and progress through the levels quickly.

Pro #2: Chinese Characters are Introduced Early

You will find yourself learning the Chinese characters early on, which is different from programs that begin solely with pinyin. It is helpful to learn characters early, so you are prepared when they are used in more advanced levels.

Pro #3: Extensive Vocabulary

Duolingo Chinese has you learning vocabulary from the very beginning. At times, you will probably be guessing at what some of the words mean until you memorize them. However, we think that the sheer amount of vocabulary taught is definitely a pro.

Pro #4: Relevant & Interesting Topics

The content is modern and relevant to daily life in China, teaching you phrases that you are very likely to actually use if you move to China for travel or work. It starts off with very simple topics like basic greetings, numbers, foods etc. and gradually increases in difficulty until you are learning about sports, weather, feelings and festivals. Grammar is dropped in here and there with some topics dedicated to only the future tense, for example, and there are also some lessons that focus more on business Chinese or even Chinese slang which is nice to see.

Pro #5: Focus On Weakest Words

The app tracks which questions you made mistakes and will then test you on those words/phrases again more frequently. A pretty smart feature – it allows you to practice those words you are weakest on and ensures you don’t spend too much time on the stuff you know already. Note, the paid version gives you the bonus option to take a lesson that’s personalised to your mistakes, so you can review all the times you got something wrong.

Duolingo Chinese: CONS

However, Duolingo Chinese is far from perfect. As much as we enjoyed playing with the app, we couldn’t help notice some pretty big flaws that really pull it down from being the complete Chinese learning app that it’s hyped up to be.

Con #1: Little-to-No Emphasis on Tone or Pronunciation

The two most important keys of learning to speak Chinese are the pronunciation and tones. Unfortunately, you will find little information on tones and even less on pronunciation, and the information on tones is foggy at best. Students may assume pinyin is pronounced the same as English, but this is not the case.
However, there is no way to know this if you’re brand new to Chinese. Dedicated lessons on Chinese tones is really a must for most learners who are starting out, especially for those with English as their first language. Otherwise you can expect to get very confused and struggle to distinguish between the different vocabulary.

Con #2: Lack of Flexibility in Giving Answers

When constructing your own sentences, Duolingo only offers one correct response. For example, you may translate a sentence to say ‘Please, speak slower’ and the correct answer for Duolingo is ‘Please, speak more slowly’. Though both are correct, your answer is still considered wrong and can prohibit your advancement.

Con #3: No Grammar Lessons

There is very little in the way of grammar. For the most part, you are filling in blanks, matching words to characters, and translating what you hear to English. Though this can provide you with some useful phrases, it will not help you to become fluent. To learn Chinese, you really need to get a good grasp of the grammar principles, so for this reason Duolingo alone will not help you (especially at the higher levels).
Though the desktop version does have some background information on grammar we still found it to be quite basic without any in-depth explanations. You are normally only provided with an example or two and expected to figure out the rules yourself. This can be very slow and frustrating when trying to learn a new language.

Con #4: Unhealthy Pressure NOT To Make A Mistake

Whilst I agree that the gamification of the app is a great benefit, helping you to stay engaged and motivated, we really didn’t like the way the hearts effectively discourage you from making a mistake. When learning a new language it is essential that you get comfortable with trying out new words and sentence structures, and making many mistakes – this is how you learn. However, during the Duolingo lessons you have only as many hearts to make mistakes. Once you’re out of hearts you have to wait a few hours to continue – a pointless and even harmful exercise in our opinion.

Con #5: Choppy Audio, Poor Translations

The app is clearly created for a mass audience and thus the questions are automatically generated with automatic translations. For this reason the audio is very choppy and inauthentic when listening to full phrases, and some of the translations are even just incorrect. It seems they haven’t been checked by native speakers and all sorts of inaccuracies have been allowed to creep in as a result of the way the app has been programmed.

Duolingo Chinese Features

Interface

The Duolingo Chinese interface is simple and easy to use. You can easily find your way around Duolingo and back to your lessons. We like that it has a colorful and fun background with the owl character, too. It is a far cry from other, drier language-learning platforms.

Chinese Events

Under the More tab you will find a variety of extra learning tools. We particularly like the section on Chinese events. This will give you a calendar of upcoming or recurring events where Chinese is spoken like with a news program. This offers additional ways to hear and practice speaking Chinese outside of Duolingo’s game.

Community Discussion

The discussion board on the desktop version is an excellent resource to connect with others learning to speak Chinese like you. Advanced learners can share information with those just starting out, or students can share information on upcoming events that would benefit learning Chinese.

Rewards System

As mentioned, Duolingo’s rewards are available once you’ve completed lessons, logged on for multiple days in a row or leveled up. Though these rewards can enhance the fun of learning to speak Chinese and encourage you to use the app more, we don’t find them to be an exceptional way to improve your language skills.

Who Would Benefit from Using Duolingo Chinese?

We feel that most people would enjoy using Duolingo Chinese as a game, but those who would most benefit from it include those who:

are supplementing another course with Duolingo

want to learn some quick vocabulary words or phrases for travel

enjoy the game aspect of Duolingo

are interested in only dipping their toes into the language

Who Would NOT Benefit from Using Duolingo Chinese?

Language-learning programs are definitely not one-size-fits-all, so those who may not benefit from Duolingo Chinese include those who:

want to become fluent in Chinese

have little extra time

prefer in-depth study into Chinese values and culture

Duolingo Chinese vs Competition

Duolingo Chinese vs. ChineseClass101

ChineseClass101 by Innovative Languages has a free lifetime subscription option that gives you the first three video or podcast lessons in each learning pathway. This equals well over 50 Chinese lessons. It offers four expertise levels from absolute beginner to advanced speaker.
You can upgrade to a monthly subscription plan from $4 to $43 a month. These plans offer additional features like access to the entire lesson library, one-on-one instruction, and personalized learning plans. You will find both grammatical and cultural lessons included with speaking and pronunciation.

Duolingo Chinese vs. italki

italki is a platform where you can choose who teaches you to speak Chinese. You simply look through teachers and their reviews and schedule an appointment for your video chat. You only pay for the lessons you take and you can schedule the lessons for a time that suits you.
This offers a unique way to have one-on-one instruction in Chinese. Your teacher can give you assignments like reading or translation practice and you get real-time corrections. You can also make connections in chat groups for further practice.

Duolingo Chinese vs Rocket Chinese

Rocket Chinese claims to offer the most extensive Chinese-learning program. You can try it out with some free lessons which will cover simple travel information, describing your clothes, and counting to 100. If you choose to stick with Rocket Chinese, you pay a one-time fee for one, two or all three lessons.
The first and second lessons are designed to take you from beginner to intermediate speaker, and the third lesson will take you all the way to advanced speaker. We like that this course offers a one-time fee and no monthly subscription prices to worry about.

Duolingo Chinese Cost

The best part about Duolingo Chinese is that it is free to use all of its features. Additionally, you can sign up for Duolingo Plus for $6.99 per month to eliminate advertisements, have a free “streak repair” each month, and to help support Duolingo’s mission of free education. They claim that users of Duolingo Plus are also four times more likely to complete the entire course.

Duolingo Chinese Review: Summary

Duolingo Chinese definitely has other language-learning programs cornered when it comes to the motivation factor. It offers a fun and simple way to get your learning in each and every day. Having said that, we do not feel like Duolingo Chinese is the best resource for those who are aiming to speak fluently. It is best used as an introductory resource at best, or as a supplemental resource paired with a more in-depth program covering Chinese grammar, culture and tones.
Overall, while it doesn’t do any harm to have a play around with Duolingo’s Chinese course, we’d recommend avoiding it to be completely honest. Yes it’s free, but you’re likely to leave more confused than when you first started with it’s unnatural voices and lack of logical explanations.
And since the layout of every lesson doesn’t change, we found ourselves getting very used to how to answer each question and get around it’s marking criteria, thus fulfilling the requirements for lengthening that learning streak, but leaving the lessons without actually remembering what we just learnt.
Whilst the paid version does alleviate some of it’s problems (like unlimited mistakes) we recommend investing your money into a much more comprehensive dedicated Chinese language program such as ChineseClass101.
Check out our ChineseClass101 review here.

Editorial Team
Our Editorial Team is a group of language learning enthusiasts who are passionate about testing new apps and finding the best ways to learn a language.

Pimsleur Japanese Review

Editorial Team — Wed, 16 Sep 2020 06:55:12 +0000

Editor’s note: Thanks for stopping by our Pimsleur Japanese review! This review is up to date as of February 12th, 2023. This article contains affiliate links however please rest assured that we only recommend products that we actually use and believe in.
Japanese is considered one of the more difficult languages for native English speakers to learn, however it doesn’t have to be a chore. In actual fact, it’s quite simple – the Japanese language has no articles, no plurals, and has a relatively simple sentence order (you can even form sentences using only verbs!).

Although almost 90% of Japanese is spoken within the country inself, Japanese is still an invaluable language to know for both business and travel.

Many people study Japanese simply to have the ability to explore Japan’s world-famous media & culture; with anime, manga and all sorts of Japanese dramas recently rocketing their way into the limelight (let alone all the rich ancient traditions and beliefs to explore in Japan’s fascinating history).
With a large selection of Japanese language-learning programs out there, how do you know which one is best for you? When it comes down to paying for language learning software to help you learn how to speak Japanese, we know you want to find the very best.
So without further ado, let’s jump right into our unbiased review of Pimsleur Japanese (a popular option for many students of Japanese).

Already decided and want to try Pimsleur Japanese for free?

Click here to start your free trial

Pimsleur Japanese Review: Summary

Name: Pimsleur Japanese
URL: www.pimsleur.com/learn-japanese
Operating System: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS
Currency: USD

Price: The complete course (levels 1-5) costs $575; each individual level costs $150. You can get a monthly subscription through the app for $14.95/month.
Application Category: Language Learning Software
Description: Pimsleur is the name of a company that’s well known for its range of effective language programs that teach the fundamentals of over 50 languages (perhaps second only to Rosetta Stone). Pimsleur focuses mainly on speaking and listening, with more emphasis on pronunciation than most other courses. The methodology, known as ‘the Pimsleur method’ is based upon research by Dr. Pimsleur, a well-acclaimed academic and linguist.

In A Nutshell: Pimsleur Japanese provides a solid foundation for those looking to boost their Japanese speaking and listening skills, and it allows you to study in your own time. The program is less effective for those looking to learn/improve their reading and writing skills, or who are already above an intermediate level in Japanese.

Quality:
Quantity:
Effectiveness:
Practicality:
Price:

 4/5

 4/5

 4/5

 5/5

 2/5

Overall Score: 3.8 / 5.0

 3.8/5

The Goods

Comprehensive course for complete beginners

Teaches useful phrases

Well designed app

Lots of additional learning tools (flashcards, games etc.)

Based upon proven memorisation research

Brilliant pronunciation guide

Lessons can be downloaded for offline learning

The Bads

Expensive

Language can be too formal

Very limited reading/writing practice

Not enough grammar explanations

Not enough exposure to new vocabulary

Too slow-paced for some learners

Gets you to an intermediate level only

Pimsleur Japanese Review: Overview

Pimsleur is almost entirely audio-based, meaning you simply have to listen and repeat the new phrases and vocabulary. There’s no books or computer screens to look at, which can be a bit strange at first but the benefits of this rather unconventional teaching method become evident quite quickly.
The course has been expanded over the years and now has 5 levels and a total of 150 lessons, however the overall teaching methodology has remained consistent.

2023 Update: The Pimsleur Japanese app now has a new reading section which teaches the hiragana, katakana and some kanji - a great addition!

The course is based upon a set of fundamental principles adopted by Dr. Paul Pimsleur, namely:

Core Vocabulary

Principle of Anticipation

Organic Learning

Graduated Interval Recall

Core Vocabulary

Principle of Anticipation

Organic Learning

Graduated Interval Recall

What are the lessons like?

As mentioned, each lesson introduces some kind of authentic dialogue and then proceeds to break down each phrase, grammar point any cultural nuances. The lessons are participatory, meaning you are expected to actually speak when prompted to, which really helps hone in the new words and refine your pronunciation.
You are discouraged from taking notes so that you are fully engaged in the conversational-style audio lesson, and this also avoids making any errors from reading it incorrectly from your romanized notes.

The app has a convenient ‘drive mode’ option.

By the end of each 30 minute lesson you should be able to understand all of the dialogue and recall the new language on demand – in fact, the instructor does test you constantly throughout the lesson (graduated interval recall)
So does the method actually work? And can it help you learn Japanese? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of the program to help you decide.

PROS of Pimsleur Japanese

Pro #1: Short, Convenient Lessons

Each lesson is 30 minutes or less and is completely audio-based, meaning that you can do other tasks while you study. Whether you are logged into your app or have downloaded the podcast, you can listen to the lesson when it best suits you.

Pro #2: Learn Through Speaking and Listening

Native Japanese speakers instruct all the lessons, and the program is based on how children first learn to speak (by imitation, repetition and context). Sounds simple, right? Many students like the fact that it’s very easy to follow and the program essentially spoon-feeds you new language at a comfortable pace. Since native speakers are your instructors, you’ll learn the most authentic dialects with accurate pronunciation.

Pro #3: Strong Emphasis on Pronunciation

Words are broken down syllable by syllable so that you can truly understand how to pronounce them. Unlike other language courses that expect you to pick up fast and unfamiliar sounds, Pimsleur starts from very simple phrases and meticulously demonstrates how to pronounce every individual sound. Pimsleur really excels in this regard, with many students commenting on how much their pronunciation has improved since taking the course.

Pro #4: Teaches Functional Language From the Very Start

Some language programs spend ages dragging out lessons on vocabulary and grammar before actually teaching you anything useful. Pimsleur is the opposite, it starts teaching you useful phrases from the very beginning. This makes it an excellent resource for those looking to quickly build up a functional knowledge of spoken Japanese for work or travel in Japan.

CONS of Pimsleur Japanese

Con #1: Very Expensive

Pimsleur is one of the more expensive language learning programs on the market – it’s convenience comes at a premium. However, you can often find discount codes and coupons to help with the costly investment.
The program used to be available on an affordable monthly subscription service but unfortunately they now only offer a one time purchase to each level, or the entire course, giving lifetime access to all lessons and future additions.

Con #2: No In-depth Grammar Lessons

There is very little structure to the lessons in the way of grammar. Though this is not generally a problem in the beginning, you may eventually start wondering why something is said a certain way or why words are ordered the way they are. The more advanced you become at speaking Japanese, the more you may want in-depth grammatical explanations.

Con #3: Audio Learning Only, Not Enough Reading

You will find some written work to help you learn to read Japanese, but the majority of Pimsleur Japanese is by podcast audio. Visual or tactile learners may find this method lacking, as you mostly must imagine the scenarios.
Furthermore, given that Japanese has a very complicated writing system, it’s important to get acquainted with the hiragana, katakana and Kanji from the very beginning. Whilst we do like that they have started to incorporate this into the new app, it should really be a central focus for serious language learners. Sticking it in as an additional extra is just not going to cut it.

Con #4: Limited Vocabulary

The core vocabulary principle is great at giving you a solid foundation to work with, however when you start moving beyond simple phrases you’ll quickly find that your memory bank of vocabulary will be quite limited. Generally, we felt that the course was a lacking in terms of vocabulary, not exposing students to enough variety of language. We reccomend supplementing the lessons with additional authentic material.

Pimsleur Japanese Review: Key Features

Dr. Pimsleur’s Golden Rules

Upon signing up, you are immediately introduced to the Golden Rules. These feel like fair warning to respond when the instructor tells you to, not to expect to only listen and repeat your way through the course, and focus your attention on the audio and responses in your head. It also advises you to not go too fast and complete just one 30-minute audio lesson per day.

Easy-to-Use Dashboard

You are automatically taken to your lessons upon logging in. The set-up is very user-friendly. Lessons you have completed or are ready to complete have a “play” button on them. Lessons must be completed in order, and they are locked until you complete the prior lesson. From here, you can also access your “skills” and “practice” activities to enhance your studies.

Learning Games and Tools

You will find a variety of skills, assessments and games to help make learning to speak Japanese fun. There are flashcards, quizzes and timed challenges. You can even find transcripts of lessons to look over and refine your pronunciation.

Who Would Benefit From Pimsleur Japanese?

We think Pimsleur Japanese would be a great asset for those who:

are strong audio learners

need to be conversational quickly for travel or business

have access and time to listen to podcasts for 30 minutes each day

Who Should Stay Away From Pimsleur Japanese?

However the Pimsleur Method is not for everyone. We feel that those who might NOT benefit from Pimleur Japanese are those who:

are on a tight budget

are looking to learn the Japanese writing system

lack the motivation to study each day for 30 minutes

do not learn well from audio only

Pimsleur Japanese Alternatives

Pimsleur Japanese vs. JapanesePod101

JapanesePod101 offers a ton of video and audio lessons to help you learn to speak Japanese. You can choose between a variety of pathways depending on what you want to learn. You can also choose the guided pathway that is structured similarly to how you would learn Japanese in the classroom.
Unlike Pimsleur, you will pay a monthly subscription fee, but you will get a discount the longer your financial commitment. JapanesePod101 offers a free lifetime account, but if you really want to use all its features, you will be paying a similar price as with Pimsleur.
Click here to read our full JapanesePod101 review.

Pimsleur Japanese vs. Rosetta Stone

Rosetta Stone is probably the most well-known brand name out there, having been heavily marketed for decades. They offer a similar course to Pimselur Japanese, however their teaching methodology is quite different, relying on immersive through images, voice clips and multiple-choice questions.
Similarly, we felt there was often a lack of explanation as to why certain grammar or vocabulary was used. There’s a lot of repetitive activities that can become mundane. Like Pimsleur, this program is probably best for beginners to low-intermediate speakers.
Click here to read out full Rosetta Stone review.

Pimsleur Japanese vs. Rocket Japanese

Rocket Japanese offers three different levels from beginner to advanced speaker. You have the option of purchasing one, two or all three levels for a one-time payment. There is no ongoing monthly subscription cost to worry about.
Rocket Japanese is an in-depth course teaching grammar, writing and cultural norms. It is thought to be one of the most comprehensive programs on the market. As such, it is not recommended as a supplemental course, but instead as a main tool for learning to speak Japanese.
Click here to read our full Rocket Japanese review.

How much does Pimsleur Japanese cost?

Pimsleur Japanese only offers the monthly subscription from within the app ($14.95/month), on desktop you can only sign up for a one-time purchase to individual lessons or the entire course. They offer the first lesson for free.
Individual level -> $150
All levels (1, 2, 3, 4, & 5) -> $575
A membership to Pimsleur gives you full access to all the features, including:
Offline learning – access anywhere
Driving mode for the car
Learning games and flashcards
Tools for visualizing
Cultural lessons
Ability to save new vocabulary
Access to the mobile app
Introduction to Katakana, Hiragana & Kanji
Progress to an intermediate level in Japanese

Pimsleur Japanese Review: Conclusion

Though it’s one of the more expensive programs out there, we do feel Pimsleur Japanese has a lot to offer beginners in Japanese. By following the program, you will certainly learn to communicate in simple Japanese quickly, but you might not know why you are saying what you are, or get a proper grasp of the written characters. Therefore, we recommend Pimsleur Japanese as a supplementary course to a more in-depth Japanese program or textbook (though the price might still be a turn off for many people).

Check Out Pimsleur Japanese

Editorial Team
Our Editorial Team is a group of language learning enthusiasts who are passionate about testing new apps and finding the best ways to learn a language.

JapanesePod101 $1 Offer

Editorial Team — Thu, 20 Aug 2020 02:26:47 +0000

If you’ve seen the JapanesePod101 $1 offer, you have already considered signing up for one of the most comprehensive language-learning programs designed by Innovative Languages.
If you have yet to come across this amazing deal and want to learn to speak Japanese, read on for more information about snagging a great deal and starting your journey toward fluency.
What Exactly is this $1 JapanesePod101 Deal?
You’ll have the chance to take advantage of this deal upon signing up for your free lifetime account with JapanesePod101. In doing so, you will be granted one month of Premium membership access for just $1. A few of the perks of the Premium subscription plan include:
Line-by-line audio dialogues
Over 2,000 core Japanese words and phrases
Interactive quizzes
Customizable word and grammar bank
In addition, you will receive:
One free e-book or other product download from the store
50 bonus lessons and worksheets
7-Day Fluency Fast Course (only available during this special offer)
It’s true that when you sign up, you are granted a free seven-day trial period of the Premium subscription plan. However, you can add the additional three weeks for just $1. This allows for more time to experience all the additional learning features available with the paid Premium subscription.
How Does This JapanesePod101 $1 Offer Work?
First, click on the blue button below. Then, after you enter your email, the $1 offer when it is presented upon signing up.
Note: After the one-month period is over, if you don’t cancel, you will automatically be charged the regular price of $25 for the Premium subscription plan. So use caution if you just want to try it for one month.
At this point, you have several options. You can unsubscribe, upgrade your membership, downgrade your membership, or use one of our coupon codes to continue your membership for a discounted rate.

Get JapanesePod101 $1 Offer

Why Upgrade or Downgrade Memberships?
There are a total of four membership levels including the free, Basic, Premium and PremiumPLUS. Each level offers more learning tools and comprehensive materials than the previous level. For example:
Free JapanesePod101 Account
First three lessons in each learning pathway
New lessons added weekly
Basic JapanesePod101 Account
Full access to the entire lesson library
100 core words and phrases
Premium JapanesePod101 Account
Daily Japanese lessons
Voice-recording tools
PremiumPLUS JapanesePod101 Account
One-on-one instruction with a professional Japanese teacher
Personalized learning plans
Is it Worth It?
Absolutely! JapanesePod101 has one of the largest lesson libraries of any language learning program we’ve seen. Being able to try out the Premium account for just $1 is an incredible deal. There are tons of video lessons and podcasts you can listen to while on-the-go.
Check out this JapanesePod101 review for even more information.
JapanesePod101 has been useful in helping students prepare for their JLPT exams, and the higher subscription levels offer a large selection of learning tools including voice-recording and interactive flashcards.
If you want to continue your subscription but don’t want to pay the $25, you can almost always find a coupon code for discounts as low as just $5 per month. Additionally, the monthly price drops as the length of your subscription increases.
For example, a 24-month subscription has a lower monthly cost than a six-month subscription.
Sign Up Today
There is truly nothing to lose if you are serious about becoming fluent in Japanese. Simply, go to JapanesePod101 and enter your valid email address. Follow the next steps to get set up and activate your account.
1. Choose your expertise level from absolute beginner, beginner, intermediate or advanced
2. Opt-in for the Japanese word of the day email (not necessary, but recommended)
3. Click on the link to take advantage of the $1 Premium subscription offer for your first month
4. Enter your payment information and billing address. Most cards and PayPal are accepted.
5. Head back to your email account and click the link to verify your address and activate your membership
6. Begin learning to speak Japanese
It’s truly that simple. What are you waiting for?

Get JapanesePod101 $1 Offer

Editorial Team
Our Editorial Team is a group of language learning enthusiasts who are passionate about testing new apps and finding the best ways to learn a language.