Japanese Lessons for Beginners: Your First Lessons and First Month
Japanese lessons for complete beginners start smaller than most people expect: the sounds of the language, a handful of greetings, a short self-introduction and a few sentence patterns you can use straight away. In your first month you won’t be chatting freely, but you should be reading hiragana, introducing yourself and asking and answering simple questions. Here is what those first lessons look like, how to prepare, and what to ask a tutor before you start.
You don’t need to know anything to start
Many beginners put off booking lessons because they want to “learn a bit first”. There is no need. A good beginner tutor expects you to arrive knowing nothing, and will explain things briefly in English while you build up enough Japanese to follow along. Starting with a tutor also means you learn the sounds correctly from day one, rather than unlearning habits picked up from romaji later.
If you have already used an app or learned some kana, that’s useful too. Just tell your tutor, so you don’t spend lessons repeating what you know.
What you learn first
Most beginner courses cover the same building blocks in roughly this order, though a tutor will adjust the pace to you.
- Sounds and rhythm. Japanese has five vowels and a steady beat. Getting this right early makes everything you say easier to understand. Our pronunciation guide covers the details.
- Hiragana, then katakana. Most tutors want you off romaji within the first few weeks. Lessons usually introduce the system and you practise the characters at home. See how to learn hiragana and katakana.
- Greetings and set phrases. おはようございます (ohayō gozaimasu), ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu), すみません (sumimasen) and the phrases you use every lesson, such as もう一度お願いします (mō ichido onegai shimasu, “once more, please”).
- A self-introduction. Your name, where you’re from, your job or studies and why you’re learning. It’s short, it follows a set pattern and you will use it for years. See our self-introduction guide.
- Basic sentence patterns. “A is B” with です (desu), simple questions with か (ka), and polite verbs ending in ます (masu), such as 食べます (tabemasu, “I eat”).
- Numbers, time and days. These come up constantly: prices, phone numbers, dates and “what time?”. See Japanese numbers and counters.
What the first month can look like
Here is a typical shape for a beginner taking one or two lessons a week and practising a little each day. Your own pace may be faster or slower, and that’s fine.
| Week | In lessons | Between lessons |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Your goals, the sound system, greetings, first hiragana rows. | A few rows of hiragana a day, saying each sound out loud. |
| Week 2 | Self-introduction, “A is B” sentences, yes/no questions. | Finish hiragana. Record your self-introduction and listen back. |
| Week 3 | Numbers, time, simple ます verbs, talking about your day. | Start katakana. Review new words with flashcards. |
| Week 4 | Short role plays: a café, asking the time, meeting someone new. | Read simple words in kana. Write five sentences about yourself. |
By the end of the month, most beginners can introduce themselves, read slowly in hiragana and hold a very short, very simple exchange. That is a real foundation, and it’s where lessons start to feel like conversations.
How to prepare for your first lesson
- Know why you’re learning. A trip next year, your partner’s family, anime, work, the JLPT. Your reason shapes what you learn first.
- Set up your device. Headphones, a camera and a quiet room. Adding a Japanese keyboard helps later. See how to type in Japanese.
- Get a notebook or a document. One place for every new word and phrase makes review simple.
- Plan your practice time. Fifteen minutes a day does more for a beginner than one long session at the weekend.
If you’re new to learning over video, our guide to what to expect from online Japanese lessons covers the practical side.
What to ask a beginner tutor
- How much English do you use with complete beginners, and how does that change?
- Which textbook or materials do you use, and do I need to buy them?
- When will I move from romaji to kana?
- How much of each lesson will I spend speaking?
- What should I do between lessons, and for how long?
Our guide to choosing a Japanese tutor has more on what to look for.
Common beginner worries
“I’m too old to start.”
Adults learn languages well, especially with a plan. You may not end up with a perfect accent, but you can understand and be understood, which is what matters.
“I’ll be embarrassed speaking.”
Every beginner makes the same mistakes, and your tutor has heard them all many times. One-to-one lessons are a safe place to get things wrong.
“Kanji looks impossible.”
You don’t need kanji in your first month. You meet them gradually, a few at a time, once kana is comfortable. See how to learn kanji when you get there.
“I don’t have much time.”
One lesson a week plus short daily review is enough to make steady progress. Consistency matters far more than hours. If you’re wondering how big the task is overall, see is Japanese hard to learn?
Getting started
The first few weeks set the tone. Learn the sounds well, get off romaji early, and speak in every lesson, even if it’s only a few words. If you’d like a tutor to guide you from your very first hiragana, our online Japanese tutors teach complete beginners one-to-one, with English explanations when you need them.