What is 17 Minute Languages?

17 Minute Languages is an online provider of language courses for more than 80 languages. Courses come without subscription and with 10-year access, on PC, smartphone and tablet. At their core is the long-term memory method with just 17 minutes of learning per day.

How does learning Japanese work at 17 Minute Languages?

At 17 Minute Languages you learn Japanese with a daily task that combines vocabulary training, dialogue exercises, pronunciation with native speakers and grammar. The long-term memory method ensures vocabulary is retained sustainably.

What advantages does 17 Minute Languages offer over other providers?

17 Minute Languages relies on a one-time payment instead of a subscription, gives 10-year access, free updates, audio from native speakers, integrated grammar and pronunciation trainers as well as personal email support.

Which Japanese courses does 17 Minute Languages offer?

Depending on the language, 17 Minute Languages offers a beginner's course (A1–A2), an advanced course (B1–B2), specialist vocabulary, an express course for travel as well as thematic specialist vocabularies (e.g. business, emigration, au-pair). Which levels are available for Japanese is shown on the Japanese page.

How quickly can I learn Japanese with 17 Minute Languages?

With 17 minutes of practice per day, most learners can handle standard situations (greetings, simple questions, short small talk) within a few weeks. After three to six months of regular training, beginners are comfortably at A2 level; with the advanced course you reach B1–B2 after approx. 30 hours of learning (in addition to the basic course). Exact progress depends on your learning rhythm, prior knowledge and target language.

How does the long-term memory method at 17 Minute Languages work?

The long-term memory method by 17 Minute Languages ensures that vocabulary is reviewed exactly when the brain is about to forget it. An algorithm individually adjusts the review intervals for every word, so you achieve maximum retention with minimum effort. The learned content stays in your memory permanently.

How long do I have access to my Japanese course?

After purchase you have at least 10 years of access to your Japanese course at 17 Minute Languages, including free updates during this time. You pay once – there is no subscription and no hidden recurring cost.

Does 17 Minute Languages offer a money-back guarantee?

Yes. 17 Minute Languages offers a money-back guarantee: if you are not satisfied with the Japanese course, you can return it within 31 days.

On which devices can I learn Japanese with 17 Minute Languages?

The Japanese course runs in the browser on any modern PC (Windows, macOS, Linux) as well as on smartphones and tablets (iOS and Android). Your learning progress is synchronised across devices, so you can always continue where you left off.

Who is the Japanese course at 17 Minute Languages suitable for?

The Japanese course is suitable for absolute beginners, returners and advanced learners who want to expand their language skills systematically. Typical audiences include travellers, expatriates, professionals, students and language enthusiasts who want to learn at their own pace.

Japanese for advanced learners + B1/B2 + no subscription required (2026)

screenshot intermediate course Japanese 17 Minute Languages

31-day money-back guarantee

Order the Japanese intermediate course »

What makes the Japanese intermediate course (B1/B2) different:

	The recommended learning time is 17 minutes a day. That is short enough to fit into your daily routine. The intermediate course teaches you over 1,800 new words.
	This course continues the basic course “Learn Japanese” and builds on the Japanese you already know. Your course includes a free placement test. It shows your current level, so you start the course at the right point. You can work through the Japanese intermediate course in about 30 hours. It is designed for levels B1 and B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
	The course adapts to your learning type, your learning pace and your preferences.
	A task for every day: The daily tasks give you something to practise and help you keep learning regularly.
	You stay in control of your learning. Clear statistics show what you have completed and what comes next. Use the course on your computer, tablet or smartphone. You can switch devices at any time, and your progress is synchronised.
	One-off payment – no subscription: You pay once and get 10 years of access to your Japanese course, including free updates. Plus: a 31-day money-back guarantee.

How the course helps you learn:

This Japanese course is the next step if you have learned with the basic course “Learn Japanese”. You already know the basics. Now you add intermediate vocabulary.

The course helps you speak Japanese with more confidence. This is useful if you have a Japanese partner, plan to live in Japan or want to travel to Japan on holiday.

It uses the long-term memory method. Each Japanese word comes back just before you would forget it. If you still know it, it moves on.

Included in the Japanese intermediate course:

Over 1,800 new words to expand your vocabulary.
The words are organised by topic, so you can learn related words together.
Practise speaking Japanese in everyday situations.
The 42 new dialogue texts are based on everyday life.
They prepare you for a longer stay in Japan and for day-to-day conversations with your Japanese partner.
The long-term memory method schedules your Japanese reviews, so you learn step by step and the words stick.
Daily tasks and varied exercises help you keep learning every day.
Join the 17 Minute Languages learning community and meet other Japanese learners.

Japanese course for intermediate learners

Japanese online course for intermediate learners (B1/B2):

No installation is needed. Use it on Windows, Linux, macOS, iPhone, Android smartphones, iPad and Android tablets.
Online course + audio trainer. The audio trainer plays each word aloud together with its English translation, so you can learn without a screen.
Latest version: the Japanese intermediate course was updated in 2026.
31-day money-back guarantee:
Try the intermediate course with no obligation.
If you are not satisfied, we refund 100% of the purchase price.

Order the Japanese intermediate course »

Japanese intermediate vocabulary: everyday words you really need

This course teaches you over 1,800 new words.
The words are sorted by topic.
That way, you learn related words together.

In the Japanese Intermediate Course, you learn words for these topics:

Concerts – Music – Musical instruments – Celebrating at festivals – Decorating and furnishing – Watching television – Historical events – Disasters – In the countryside – In the city – At sea – Buildings – Traffic control – Vehicle breakdowns – Car parts – Buying or selling a vehicle – At the hospital – Parts of the body – Making appointments – Understanding instructions – Writing a letter – Reading a newspaper – Safety – Arithmetic – Reading books – Buying groceries – Fruit – Kitchen utensils – Words for travelling – Solving problems – Illnesses – Injuries – Resolving conflicts – Moving to another country – Looking for a new flat – Buying souvenirs – A day at the zoo – Family relationships – Planning a trip – Animals – The job market – Looking for a new job – Working abroad – Ordering online – Opening a bank account – Haggling over prices – Communication – Settling disagreements – Expressing your feelings – Lovesickness – Marriage – Hobbies – Enjoying your free time – An evening in a bar – Horoscopes – Religion – Politics – Athletics – Football – Words about crime – Dealing with the police – Writing a complaint – And much more!

The Japanese Intermediate Course prepares you for more demanding conversations.
You also learn to understand and use more complex sentences.

The course is designed for CEFR level B1/B2 in Japanese. You can work through it in about 30 hours.
You can also use your new words when you watch television in Japanese.

Across all these topics, you learn over 1,800 new Japanese words.

Texts and dialogues in the Japanese Intermediate Course

Native speakers of Japanese recorded all the words and dialogue texts in a studio.

So you hear clear, natural pronunciation with the right stress from the start.
You can read, listen to, repeat aloud and print out every text.

Linguists wrote the texts and stories together with translators and native speakers from Japan.

The dialogue texts cover these topics:

The Japanese Intermediate Course is built around situations you meet in everyday life.
In the dialogues, you follow realistic stories and learn the language you need in them.

You follow the two main characters through the ups and downs of daily life.
The course has 42 stories, for example:

You join the two main characters as they look for a new flat.
They book a viewing through an estate agent.
But choosing the better flat is harder than it looks...

In the end, they take a lovely flat in a good location.
But then new problems come up:

	To pay the rent for the shared flat, they need to open a joint bank account. Which details go where on the form?
	Everyone wants a new flat to look nice: "But what goes where? And shouldn't we redo the kitchen a little?"
	New furniture and kitchen appliances often come with assembly and operating instructions. If you can read and understand them, everyday tasks get much easier.
	The new TV has finally arrived. The man of the house opens the box impatiently. He wants to watch the football match as soon as the TV is plugged in. But then he notices: the remote control is missing. Who wants to get up every time to change the channel? There's only one thing to do: write a complaint email to the manufacturer...

After a tiring move to the new flat, you deserve some free time:

	Cooking for friends can be very relaxing.
	An afternoon at the football stadium, on the other hand, can bring plenty of excitement.

A short weekend road trip for just the two of you makes a nice change:

	Where should you go? The mountains would be lovely. And we know a cosy little hut there...
	You can go on great bike tours there.
	Then an accident nearly ruins everything...

Relationships don't always run smoothly.

	Arguments and lovesickness happen in the best of families.
	But if you can forgive each other, things can work out in the end...

"Will you marry me?"
A wedding brings the whole family together.

	Is your sister coming with or without her husband? Who is your brother bringing? Is your niece coming too? Who can pick Grandpa up by car? There are still a thousand things to sort out.
	And it turns into a celebration to remember.

Then big changes are coming again:

	Your job isn't fun any more. So it's time for a change:
	You read job ads and apply. But will you get your dream job...?

Some stories in the Intermediate Course are sad, some are funny, and some are exciting.
Most of them contain everyday conversations, so you practise speaking in the first person.
You also practise describing events: You listen to radio news and read newspaper articles.

The 42 dialogue texts show you how the language is used in everyday life.

Included in the price: the Japanese audio trainer for intermediate learners

With the intermediate course, you also get an audio trainer. It plays the words in English and Japanese, so you can learn without a screen.

How does the audio trainer work?
You use the device you prefer: the audio trainer works on your smartphone, tablet and PC.

How is the Japanese audio trainer set up? Everything runs automatically, so you can focus on learning.
First you hear a word in English.
Then you have a moment to think of the Japanese translation.
After a short pause, a Japanese native speaker says the translation.

The lessons come in short 5-minute sessions.
In the background, you hear Superlearning music: calm music that helps you focus.
You can switch it off at any time.

You learn translations and pronunciation just by listening.
That makes audio training easy to fit into your day.

	You practise your Japanese pronunciation while working out or cycling.
	You practise Japanese while driving.
	You practise translating into Japanese while relaxing at home.
	You make good use of your time on public transport.
	Waiting in a queue or for the bus or train? Use the time to learn Japanese.

Audio trainer example 1

Audio trainer example 2

Frequently asked questions about the Japanese intermediate course

How can I speak Japanese better?
To speak Japanese better, start by learning more words.
Use the long-term memory method. Each word comes back just before you would forget it. If you still know it, it moves on.
Superlearning music is calm background music that helps you focus. You can switch it off.

Then make Japanese part of your day:
Watch films and videos in Japanese.
Find a tandem partner – you help them with your language, and they help you with theirs.
Listen to the radio and podcasts in Japanese.
How can I improve my Japanese?
Use Japanese a little every day.
A trip to Japan can help, and so can a tandem partner.
For reading and listening, use media in Japanese. The audio trainer also helps: it plays the words in English and Japanese, so you can learn without a screen.
How long does the Japanese intermediate course take?
You can work through the Japanese intermediate course in about 30 hours, on top of the basic course.

The course is designed for both intermediate levels, B1 and B2.
Does the Japanese intermediate course also cover B2?
Yes. The Japanese intermediate course covers both B1 and B2.
At B2 you can handle everyday situations as well as more demanding Japanese texts and abstract topics.
What does level B1 mean in Japanese?
B1 is the third level of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) – for Japanese as for any other language.

You need A1 and A2 before B1.
At B1 you can understand more complex situations and texts in Japanese.

The Japanese intermediate course is designed for levels B1 and B2.
What does level B2 mean in Japanese?
B2 is the fourth level of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) – for Japanese as for any other language.

You need A1, A2 and B1 before B2.
At B2 you can understand more complex Japanese texts and respond in more detail.

The Japanese intermediate course covers B2 as well as B1.
How long can I use my Japanese course?
You get 10 years of access to your Japanese course after purchase, including free updates.
You pay once. There is no subscription.
Is there a money-back guarantee?
Yes, there is a 31-day money-back guarantee. If the Japanese course is not right for you, you get a 100% refund.
On which devices can I learn Japanese?
The Japanese course runs in your browser – no installation. It works on Windows, macOS and Linux, on iPhone and Android smartphones, and on iPad and Android tablets.
Your progress is synchronised, so you can switch devices at any time.

Secure Order:

Yes, I have read the conditions of sales and use, the privacy policy and the return policy and I agree to them.

Full right of return:
You have 31 days – if you're not happy, we'll refund the full purchase price.

You will receive the software as an online course:

Begin learning right away!
You don't have to install anything – you learn online.
The online course works with Windows, macOS and Linux, on iPhone and Android smartphones, on iPad and Android tablets.
Access to the online course is valid for 10 years.
You can cancel your purchase at any time during the first 31 days and get your money back.
More than 540,000 people have successfully learnt a new language thanks to 17 Minute Languages.
All prices include VAT.

What sets this language course apart from the competition?

Swift progress:

This software program will make learning Japanese fun and easy – you can hold your first simple conversation after about 3 hours.

Sophisticated software:

We first released this software in 2002.
Our developers revise it every year and with the greatest attention to detail.

A variety of tasks each day:

Varied daily tasks and a huge selection of learning methods will motivate you to continue learning every day.

Unique learning methods:

With the long-term memory learning method and daily tasks tailored to you, you can hold everyday conversations in Japanese after about 50 hours.

No subscription model:

Your access is valid for 10 years – you only pay once.

Exclusive learning community:

Make connections with like-minded people in our learning community.