Use iKnow.jp to Learn Japanese This Summer

Recently, I’ve started learning Japanese. Alongside borrowing a friend’s textbook and utilizing an online guidebook, I’m using a program to help me learn vocab fast: iKnow! I’m trying to save hundreds of dollars by skipping a class, teaching myself with iKnow.jp, the first Genki book, and the Tae Kim guidebook. I know others this summer may also be interested in skipping a class and saving money, so this is for you guys.

iKnow logo

I’ve gone two months using iKnow. iKnow is an online language-learning program for Chinese and Japanese that teaches vocabulary. It works best as a study aid to a textbook. iKnow has five different courses:

• The iKnow word-training that teaches new words and gives example sentences and phrases
• Rapid Choice speed-quizzes that test Kanji recognition
• Self-check tool that allows you to point out what vocab you do and don’t know so the program knows what to quiz you on more
• Sentence Trainer, which truly comes in handy once you start learning grammar
• Listening (app only) for training your ears to a new language

Using iKnow, I’ve helped myself out with learning Kanji. Kanji is the first big challenge students learning Japanese will face. Some textbooks stray from using Kanji in the beginning, but iKnow’s exposure has made all the difference. It’ll really benefit those struggling to learn Kanji. And iKnow speaks to you: hearing the word and seeing it in Hiragana and Kanji all help with memorization.

iKnow is also a very addictive program. If you really do want to learn, you will be motivated to use it. I asked my friend Tyrhen about his experience with iKnow. He’s been studying Japanese for years. He says, “I feel like it sorta unlocked my brain in a weird way and made it easy to learn new words after that; it made learning Japanese easy. I was so excited to go to sleep and wake up the next day to see how much I remembered.” My other polyglot friend Gustavo, who is very familiar with language-learning programs and textbooks, swears by iKnow, saying it’s an excellent program that goes from beginner to advanced and keeps you engaged the whole way. “It’s definitely worth it,” he has claimed many times when I was doubtful of spending money on a program. But if you’re disciplined about it, just $32 for a 3-month plan will be enough time to learn material for a pricy class via iKnow and a textbook.

My Japanese study materials

Some of you may be apprehensive about using iKnow since it costs money. I was skeptical at first, too. Would it be a waste of money? But iKnow is actually pretty affordable, and definitely worth it for students with long-term language-learning goals. The $32 3-month Pro subscription along with about $30 for a textbook is a much better price than hundreds of dollars for a class that you could teach yourself in a summer. There are other Pro plans, too, so just pick one that suits you best.

iKnow isn’t a shortcut and won’t automatically make you a genius. You have to do your part, but it definitely makes learning in the early stages easier. I definitely feel I’ve learned things using iKnow better than using a textbook. If you’re serious about learning Japanese or Chinese, you should consider iKnow. They do a free-trial, so give it a whirl.