Learn Japanese! is a Japanese language learning application for iOS and Android, developed by Luli Languages LLC. It covers hiragana and katakana writing, vocabulary, and grammar through structured lessons and spaced repetition quizzes, with full offline functionality and a one-time purchase model that unlocks the complete content library.
In-Depth Explanation
Platform: iOS and Android — package ID `com.lulilanguages.j5a`. 1M+ downloads on Google Play; 4.7 stars (30.6K reviews). Developer: Luli Languages LLC. A companion kanji-focused app (Learn Japanese! – Kanji Study) is available separately from the same developer.
The app is organized into lessons covering three content areas: (1) kana writing — learning to read and write all hiragana and katakana with stroke order guidance; (2) vocabulary — core Japanese words across common topic categories; and (3) grammar — foundational sentence patterns with example sentences. The Show-and-Quiz teaching method presents new content briefly, then immediately tests it, creating a tightly looped study cycle.
Writing Lessons with Stroke Order
Unlike vocabulary-only apps, Luli Languages includes actual writing instruction for hiragana and katakana. Learners trace characters with stroke order feedback, building both recognition and production ability for both syllabaries.
Spaced Repetition Review Quizzes
Completed lessons generate a spaced repetition review queue. The SRS scheduling resurfaces vocabulary and kana items at optimized intervals, reducing the time spent re-learning material that has been retained while focusing practice on items that remain uncertain.
Show-and-Quiz Format
The teaching format presents new material (Show phase) and immediately follows with a quiz (Quiz phase). This pattern forces active recall from the first exposure rather than passive viewing of content, which research on retrieval practice suggests improves long-term retention compared to re-reading or passive review.
English-Japanese and Japanese-English
The app supports both directions: recognizing a Japanese word and recalling its English meaning, and recognizing English and recalling the Japanese. Bidirectional practice builds more robust vocabulary networks than single-direction drilling.
Offline and No-Subscription
All content is available offline. Once purchased, the app requires no subscription, no ongoing fees, and no internet connection during study sessions. This model contrasts with the dominant subscription approach in language learning apps.
Companion Kanji App
Luli Languages publishes a separate kanji-focused app (Learn Japanese! – Kanji Study) that extends the same interface and SRS approach to kanji study. The two apps function as a complementary suite for learners who want to cover kana, vocabulary, grammar, and kanji through Luli Languages’ interface.
History
Luli Languages LLC is a small developer that built the Learn Japanese! app as part of a catalog of structured language learning apps (Learn Korean! – Hangul is a companion product). The Japanese app launched with a focus on kana recognition and expanded to include vocabulary and grammar lessons. The app reached 1M+ downloads organically — a significant achievement for an independent developer without major marketing campaigns. The app experienced a technical regression in late 2024 following a major update that broke several vocabulary and grammar lessons; the developer addressed bug reports through 2025 and into 2026.
Common Misconceptions
“Luli Japanese covers advanced Japanese.”
The app targets beginner to lower-intermediate learners. Its vocabulary and grammar content does not extend to advanced levels. Learners who complete the core lessons will need to transition to more advanced resources for continued progress.
“The app has been fully stable since its 1M+ download milestone.”
User reviews from late 2024 and 2025 noted significant bugs in vocabulary and grammar lessons following a major update. While the developer has addressed most reported issues, learners should update to the latest version and report any remaining problems to [email protected].
Social Media Sentiment
- r/LearnJapanese: Not frequently discussed by name, but the kana writing lesson format and the one-time purchase model draw positive mentions in beginner threads comparing affordable Japanese apps.
- App Store/Play Store: The 4.7-star average is high. Most users praise the kana writing instruction, the clear lesson structure, and the no-subscription pricing. The 2024–2025 bug reports around broken grammar and vocabulary lessons represent the most consistent negative thread in reviews, though most report the issues as since resolved.
Last updated: 2026-05
Related Terms
See Also
Research
- Luli Languages LLC. (n.d.). Learn Japanese! – Hiragana [Mobile application]. Google Play (com.lulilanguages.j5a). https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lulilanguages.j5a
Summary: Primary source for all app-specific data in this entry, including download count (1M+), rating (4.7 stars, 30.6K reviews), developer (Luli Languages LLC), feature set (hiragana/katakana writing lessons, vocabulary, grammar, SRS, bidirectional review, offline, one-time purchase), and platform availability. Verified May 2026.
- Roediger, H. L., & Karpicke, J. D. (2006). Test-enhanced learning: Taking memory tests improves long-term retention. Psychological Science, 17(3), 249–255.
Summary: Demonstrated through controlled experiments that repeatedly testing learners on material — rather than re-studying it — produces substantially better long-term retention, a finding known as the testing effect or retrieval practice effect. Directly supports the pedagogical rationale for Luli Languages’ Show-and-Quiz teaching cycle and its SRS review system.
- Cepeda, N. J., Pashler, H., Vul, E., Wixted, J. T., & Rohrer, D. (2006). Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks: A review and quantitative synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 132(3), 354–380.
Summary: Meta-analysis of 254 experiments confirming that spacing practice across time substantially improves long-term retention compared to massed study, providing the empirical foundation for spaced repetition scheduling — the review system used in Luli Languages’ vocabulary and kana practice queues.