https://cotobara.com/ Guides on learning Japanese vocabulary, spaced repetition, and JLPT study strategy. en https://cotobara.com/blog/track-your-jlpt-progress https://cotobara.com/blog/track-your-jlpt-progress Sun, 26 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Cotobara's dashboard answers one question: am I ready for the exam? Per-level mastery, weekly accuracy, your review schedule, and problem words. https://cotobara.com/blog/jlpt-n5-grammar-list https://cotobara.com/blog/jlpt-n5-grammar-list Sun, 26 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT The complete JLPT N5 grammar set — particles, verb forms, adjectives, sentence patterns — grouped by what each one actually does, not alphabetically. https://cotobara.com/blog/japanese-word-breakdowns https://cotobara.com/blog/japanese-word-breakdowns Sun, 26 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Cotobara entries explain the word: kanji components, how the parts combine, a mental model, usage notes, etymology. Why that beats memorizing a gloss. https://cotobara.com/blog/japanese-vocabulary-browser https://cotobara.com/blog/japanese-vocabulary-browser Sun, 26 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Browse and search 8,000+ Japanese words by JLPT level, with readings, meanings, example sentences, bookmarks and personal notes. https://cotobara.com/blog/japanese-sentence-structure https://cotobara.com/blog/japanese-sentence-structure Sun, 26 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Japanese word order for English speakers: SOV, particles instead of position, dropped subjects, and modifiers before nouns — with clear examples. https://cotobara.com/blog/japanese-numbers-and-counters https://cotobara.com/blog/japanese-numbers-and-counters Sun, 26 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT How to count from 1 to 10,000 in Japanese, why 4 and 7 have two readings, and how counters like 人, 枚, 本 and 個 work — with the ones you really need. https://cotobara.com/blog/japanese-greetings-and-basic-phrases https://cotobara.com/blog/japanese-greetings-and-basic-phrases Sun, 26 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Konnichiwa, arigatou, sumimasen — the Japanese greetings and phrases beginners need, plus the register traps that make textbook Japanese sound wrong. https://cotobara.com/blog/is-japanese-hard-to-learn https://cotobara.com/blog/is-japanese-hard-to-learn Sun, 26 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Japanese is ranked one of the hardest languages for English speakers. What is genuinely hard, what is surprisingly easy, and how long it really takes. https://cotobara.com/blog/i-adjectives-vs-na-adjectives https://cotobara.com/blog/i-adjectives-vs-na-adjectives Sun, 26 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Japanese has two adjective classes that conjugate differently. How to tell them apart, the full conjugation grid, and the exceptions that catch everyone. https://cotobara.com/blog/how-to-learn-japanese-by-yourself https://cotobara.com/blog/how-to-learn-japanese-by-yourself Sun, 26 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT A month-by-month self-study plan for learning Japanese without a class: what to study in what order, what to pay for, and the traps that stall you. https://cotobara.com/blog/how-many-kanji-do-you-need https://cotobara.com/blog/how-many-kanji-do-you-need Sun, 26 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT 2,136 jōyō kanji is the number everyone quotes, and the wrong target for most learners. What each range of kanji actually buys you, by JLPT level. https://cotobara.com/blog/how-cotobara-srs-works https://cotobara.com/blog/how-cotobara-srs-works Sun, 26 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT The schedule behind Cotobara's spaced repetition: nine stages from 4 hours to 120 days, why every word has two cards, and what a wrong answer costs. https://cotobara.com/blog/how-cotobara-lessons-work https://cotobara.com/blog/how-cotobara-lessons-work Sun, 26 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Inside a Cotobara lesson: batches of five words, reveal cards with audio and example sentences, a quiz you must pass, and how to set a daily limit. https://cotobara.com/blog/furigana-audio-and-example-sentences https://cotobara.com/blog/furigana-audio-and-example-sentences Sun, 26 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Furigana you can switch off, audio on every word and sentence, experimental hover-to-translate, and kana typing with no IME — reading support in Cotobara. https://cotobara.com/blog/cotobara-study-settings https://cotobara.com/blog/cotobara-study-settings Sun, 26 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Configure Cotobara so it stops teaching words you know: starting level and half-levels, the rare-word filter, daily new-word limit, furigana, audio. https://cotobara.com/blog/cotobara-kana-course https://cotobara.com/blog/cotobara-kana-course Sun, 26 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Cotobara's free 32-lesson hiragana and katakana course: audio, three quiz types, an 80% pass mark, and skippable if you already read both scripts. https://cotobara.com/blog/cotobara-features https://cotobara.com/blog/cotobara-features Sun, 26 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT A tour of Cotobara: the SRS engine, lessons, word breakdowns, natural-sounding audio, JLPT progress tracking, WaniKani import, and the kana course. https://cotobara.com/blog/best-way-to-learn-kanji https://cotobara.com/blog/best-way-to-learn-kanji Sun, 26 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Radicals, mnemonics, RTK, handwriting, or kanji inside real words — the main approaches compared, and how to pick the one that fits your goal. https://cotobara.com/blog/best-apps-to-learn-japanese https://cotobara.com/blog/best-apps-to-learn-japanese Sun, 26 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Duolingo, WaniKani, Anki, Bunpro, renshuu, Cotobara — what each app is genuinely good at, and how to combine two or three into a complete setup. https://cotobara.com/blog/best-anki-deck-for-japanese https://cotobara.com/blog/best-anki-deck-for-japanese Sun, 26 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Kaishi 1.5k, Core 2k/6k, JLPT decks and mining setups compared — what each is good for, and the faster option if you would rather skip deck-hunting. https://cotobara.com/blog/why-wanikani-and-cotobara https://cotobara.com/blog/why-wanikani-and-cotobara Sat, 25 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT WaniKani teaches you to read kanji; Cotobara turns that into a living vocabulary you can use. Why the two together beat either one on its own. https://cotobara.com/blog/how-to-use-cotobara-with-wanikani https://cotobara.com/blog/how-to-use-cotobara-with-wanikani Sat, 25 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Connect WaniKani to Cotobara in a minute: what gets imported, the four overlap filters, and how to stop reviewing words you have already burned. https://cotobara.com/blog/cotobara-vs-anki https://cotobara.com/blog/cotobara-vs-anki Sat, 25 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Anki is flexible and unopinionated; Cotobara is a curated, ready-to-study vocabulary system. An honest comparison of when each one actually wins. https://cotobara.com/blog/cotobara-vs-renshuu https://cotobara.com/blog/cotobara-vs-renshuu Wed, 22 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Renshuu is a deep, feature-rich all-in-one Japanese platform; Cotobara is a focused vocabulary system. How to choose between breadth and focus. https://cotobara.com/blog/most-common-japanese-words https://cotobara.com/blog/most-common-japanese-words Thu, 16 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT The most common Japanese words and why frequency order pays off faster than any themed list — plus how far the first 1,000 words actually get you. https://cotobara.com/blog/how-long-to-pass-jlpt-n3 https://cotobara.com/blog/how-long-to-pass-jlpt-n3 Fri, 10 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT How long JLPT N3 takes from zero and from N4, what the level actually demands in vocabulary and grammar, and a study plan that fits your exam date. https://cotobara.com/blog/cotobara-vs-bunpro https://cotobara.com/blog/cotobara-vs-bunpro Fri, 03 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Bunpro is spaced repetition for Japanese grammar; Cotobara does the same for vocabulary. How they differ, and why most learners use one of each. https://cotobara.com/blog/best-order-to-learn-japanese-vocabulary https://cotobara.com/blog/best-order-to-learn-japanese-vocabulary Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Frequency order, JLPT order, or themed lists? Which order to learn Japanese vocabulary in, and why the first 1,000 words matter more than the next 3,000. https://cotobara.com/blog/cotobara-vs-duolingo https://cotobara.com/blog/cotobara-vs-duolingo Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Duolingo is great at building a daily habit. Cotobara is built to make Japanese vocabulary stick for the JLPT and real reading. Here is where each one wins. https://cotobara.com/blog/essential-jlpt-n5-vocabulary https://cotobara.com/blog/essential-jlpt-n5-vocabulary Tue, 09 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT The most essential JLPT N5 vocabulary, grouped by theme with kanji, readings and meanings — plus how to actually make the words stick. https://cotobara.com/blog/how-many-words-for-each-jlpt-level https://cotobara.com/blog/how-many-words-for-each-jlpt-level Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT A realistic look at the vocabulary and kanji counts behind JLPT N5 to N1 — where the numbers come from, why they are a guide, and how to get there. https://cotobara.com/blog/spaced-repetition-for-japanese https://cotobara.com/blog/spaced-repetition-for-japanese Tue, 19 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT What spaced repetition is, why it suits Japanese vocabulary better than any other subject, and how to use an SRS daily without drowning in reviews. https://cotobara.com/blog/is-wanikani-enough-for-jlpt https://cotobara.com/blog/is-wanikani-enough-for-jlpt Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT WaniKani teaches kanji brilliantly but was never a JLPT study plan. Where it helps, where it leaves gaps, and exactly what to add for each level. https://cotobara.com/blog/recognition-vs-recall-japanese https://cotobara.com/blog/recognition-vs-recall-japanese Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT You know the word when you see it, but it never comes when you need it. Why recognition without recall is the most common Japanese plateau, and the fix. https://cotobara.com/blog/cotobara-vs-wanikani https://cotobara.com/blog/cotobara-vs-wanikani Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT WaniKani drills kanji readings; Cotobara builds usable JLPT and everyday vocabulary. What each one is for, and whether you should use both together. https://cotobara.com/blog/how-to-study-for-jlpt https://cotobara.com/blog/how-to-study-for-jlpt Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT A section-by-section JLPT study plan — vocabulary, grammar, reading, kanji and listening — plus the sectional minimum that catches people out. https://cotobara.com/blog/how-to-learn-japanese-with-anime https://cotobara.com/blog/how-to-learn-japanese-with-anime Mon, 06 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Anime is real, motivating Japanese input — if you use it right. How to actually learn from anime instead of watching subtitles and absorbing nothing. https://cotobara.com/blog/essential-jlpt-n4-vocabulary https://cotobara.com/blog/essential-jlpt-n4-vocabulary Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Essential JLPT N4 vocabulary by theme — verbs, nouns and adjectives with kanji, readings and meanings — to bridge beginner to intermediate Japanese. https://cotobara.com/blog/desu-masu-and-politeness https://cotobara.com/blog/desu-masu-and-politeness Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT です/ます, plain form, and keigo — how Japanese politeness levels work, which one to learn first, and when using the wrong register sounds wrong. https://cotobara.com/blog/common-japanese-verbs https://cotobara.com/blog/common-japanese-verbs Thu, 19 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT The most common Japanese verbs with readings, meanings and example sentences — grouped by conjugation type so you can use them, not just recognise them. https://cotobara.com/blog/te-form-guide https://cotobara.com/blog/te-form-guide Thu, 12 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT The て-form connects actions, makes requests, and builds the progressive tense. The formation rules for every verb group, plus its main uses. https://cotobara.com/blog/japanese-particles-guide https://cotobara.com/blog/japanese-particles-guide Thu, 05 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT は, が, を, に, で, と, の and more — what each Japanese particle does, with clear examples and the distinctions beginners get wrong most often. https://cotobara.com/blog/how-long-to-learn-japanese https://cotobara.com/blog/how-long-to-learn-japanese Tue, 24 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT How long it really takes to learn Japanese, by goal: travel-functional, conversational, JLPT N3, and fluent — with the study hours behind each. https://cotobara.com/blog/wa-vs-ga https://cotobara.com/blog/wa-vs-ga Tue, 17 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT は marks the topic, が marks the subject — the most-asked question in Japanese grammar, explained with clear examples you can actually rely on. https://cotobara.com/blog/japanese-verb-conjugation-basics https://cotobara.com/blog/japanese-verb-conjugation-basics Fri, 06 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT Japanese verbs split into three groups, and once you can tell them apart conjugation becomes predictable. How to identify each group and conjugate it. https://cotobara.com/blog/hiragana-and-katakana-guide https://cotobara.com/blog/hiragana-and-katakana-guide Tue, 27 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT Learn hiragana and katakana in about two weeks: what each script is for, the characters that trip everyone up, and why romaji costs you time later. https://cotobara.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-japanese https://cotobara.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-japanese Fri, 16 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT A step-by-step roadmap for absolute beginners: kana first, then core vocabulary, grammar and kanji — in the order that actually keeps you going.