Checklist

Japanese study checklist

A Japanese learning checklist that respects the real climb: the kana-to-kanji progression, the particle-driven grammar, and training your ear for natural-speed listening.

Built for Japanese · Learners balancing kana, kanji, and listening fluency.

Progress

0 of 12 tasks complete

Kana to kanji progression

Build the writing systems in the right order, hiragana and katakana before kanji, so each layer supports the next.

Master hiragana and katakana to automaticityBoth syllabaries (46 characters each) should be instant before touching kanji. Reading furigana and katakana loanwords depends on this base.~25 minLearn kanji by radicals and componentsDecompose kanji into recurring parts (e.g. 時 = 日 sun + 寺 temple) instead of memorizing strokes; components make new kanji learnable.~20 minDrill kanji with on'yomi and kun'yomi readingsMost kanji have multiple readings depending on context (音読み vs 訓読み). Learn readings inside real words, not as isolated lists.~20 min

Particle-driven grammar

Master the small particles that carry the grammatical work, since Japanese marks roles with particles rather than word order.

Drill は vs が until the distinction is intuitiveTopic (は) vs subject (が) is the deepest particle puzzle in Japanese. Study it through many contrasting example pairs, not a single rule.~20 minLock down を, に, で, へ for objects and locationsThese mark the object, target/time, location-of-action, and direction. Mixing に and で is a constant intermediate-level slip; drill them in sentences.~18 minPractice verb conjugation and politeness levelsMove between plain (食べる) and polite (食べます) forms and the te-form, which chains clauses. Register choice is grammar, not just etiquette.~20 min

Listening and speaking

Train your ear for natural-speed Japanese and produce sentences with correct pitch and particles.

Shadow native audio for rhythm and pitchJapanese uses pitch accent (e.g. はし bridge vs はし chopsticks) and mora-timing. Shadowing trains both better than reading aloud alone.~15 minDo focused listening on sentence-final particlesね, よ, and か at sentence end carry tone and intent. Train your ear to catch these short, meaning-rich endings in fast speech.~15 minConverse with a partner or tutor in JapaneseSpeak for 10 minutes, focusing on correct particles and politeness level. A tutor flags pitch and register errors you can't yet self-detect.~15 min

Consolidation

Reinforce kanji, vocabulary, and grammar across sessions.

Clear the kanji and vocab SRS queue dailyKanji fade quickly; daily SRS (Anki with a core deck, or WaniKani) keeps readings and meanings from decaying as the count grows.~20 minWrite five sentences using a new grammar pointForce the structure (e.g. ～たい, ～なければならない) into your own sentences; production locks particle placement recognition can't.~12 minLog recurring particle and reading errorsTrack which particle pairs (に/で, は/が) and kanji readings you keep missing; clustered misses reveal a rule to restudy.~6 min

Common mistakes

Jumping to kanji before hiragana and katakana are automatic, so every reading attempt stalls on the syllabary instead of the kanji
Memorizing kanji readings as isolated lists rather than inside real words, missing which reading applies in which context
Treating は and が as interchangeable subject markers and never internalizing the topic-vs-subject distinction
Confusing the location particles に and で, producing sentences that are grammatical-looking but say the wrong thing
Ignoring pitch accent entirely, which leaves speech understandable but unnatural and occasionally ambiguous

Pro tips

Learn kanji with a system like WaniKani or RTK that teaches radicals and mnemonics; rote stroke-copying does not scale past a few hundred
Study grammar through a structured resource (Genki, then Tae Kim or a dictionary of grammar) so particles are introduced in a sensible order
Always learn vocabulary with its kanji and reading together; the spoken word, the kanji, and the kana are three linked facts, not one
Use furigana-supported graded readers early so you build reading speed without being blocked by unknown kanji
Note pitch accent for new words from a resource like OJAD; correcting accent early is far easier than fixing it after it sets

FAQ

How should I start the Japanese study checklist?

Start with the first phase, then run one timed Study Spaces sprint before adding more tasks. The goal is execution, not a perfect plan.

What should I do if I fall behind?

Copy the remaining tasks, pick the highest-score or highest-deadline item, and restart with one focused block.

How often should I review progress?

Review after each sprint and once at the end of the week so the next session starts with a clear first task.

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Use it now

Turn this page into a live sprint

Start the matching room for Japanese, then use the sprint plan as the first task and recap script.

Japanese study checklist
Focus target: Japanese
Block 1 (25 min): closed-book recall or one timed practice set.
Break (5 min): mark confusing items without opening a new task.
Block 2 (25 min): correct misses and write the next first step.
Done: one score/error note plus one queued task for tomorrow.

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