# Wakanai: Learn Japanese — Listen first. Speak for real

> Learn casual Japanese through listening, speaking, and spaced repetition. (iPhone/iPad app by Nisanthan Nanthakumar.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wakanai-learn-japanese/id6801622365 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Nisanthan Nanthakumar](https://appshunter.io/developer/6801622367)
- Category: Education, Travel
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 1 App Store ratings
- Age rating: 12+
- Requires: iOS 26.0 · 25 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2026-10-21
- Data updated: 2026-10-25
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases

## What is Wakanai?

Speak casual Japanese on your Japan trip by listening first.

Wakanai teaches absolute beginners real Japanese from real podcasts.
Watercolor scenes carry the meaning while you listen (no text, no
translation crutch), a subtitled replay confirms what you caught, and
then you say the new words out loud.

- Audio from Japanese podcasts
- Three-pass sessions: listen → understand → speak
- Confirm your understanding by speaking, not tapping. Your voice is the test
- FSRS spaced repetition schedules every word just before you'd
  forget it
- Conversations (optional subscription): order at the izakaya, shop at the konbini, catch your train. Practice speaking with Toro who won't use a word you haven't 
  learned yet.
- Private by design: no accounts, no audio uploads. Speech recognition runs entirely on your iPhone

Wakanai Conversations is an optional auto-renewable subscription ($9.99/month or $69.99/year after a 7-day free trial). Payment is charged to your Apple Account; the 
subscription renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the current period ends. Manage or cancel anytime in Settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ · Service terms: https://wakanai.app/terms · Privacy: https://wakanai.app/privacy

iPhone, iOS 26 or newer (the on-device speech engine ships with
iOS 26).

## Key features

- Real podcast audio lessons
- Listen, understand, speak methodology
- Voice-based understanding confirmation
- FSRS spaced repetition
- AI conversation practice
- On-device speech recognition

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Annual | $69.99 | per year |


## Is Wakanai safe?

Not enough ratings yet to assess Wakanai.

## Is Wakanai legit?

Wakanai: Learn Japanese has limited verification signals. The AppsHunter Legitimacy Score for Wakanai is 58 out of 100 points across 7 verification signals from App Store and developer data.


## Frequently asked questions about Wakanai

### How does Wakanai teach Japanese?

Wakanai teaches absolute beginners real Japanese by having you listen to audio from Japanese podcasts. It uses a three-pass system: listen, understand, and then speak. Your voice is used as the test to confirm your understanding.

### What is the Wakanai Conversations subscription?

Wakanai Conversations is an optional subscription that allows you to practice speaking in simulated real-life scenarios like ordering at an izakaya or shopping. The AI tutor, Toro, will only use words you have already learned.

### What is the pricing for Wakanai Conversations?

Wakanai Conversations offers a monthly subscription for $9.99 or an annual subscription for $69.99. Both options include a 7-day free trial. Payments are charged to your Apple Account.

### Can I cancel my Wakanai Conversations subscription?

Yes, you can manage or cancel your subscription anytime in your device's Settings. The subscription renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the current period ends.

### Does Wakanai have ads?

No, Wakanai does not contain advertisements. The app is free to download and use, with optional in-app purchases for advanced features.

### What devices does Wakanai support?

Wakanai is currently supported on iPhone devices running iOS 16 or newer. The on-device speech engine is included with iOS 16.

### How does Wakanai handle privacy?

Wakanai is private by design. It does not require accounts or upload your audio. All speech recognition processing runs entirely on your iPhone.

### How often is Wakanai updated?

Wakanai was last updated on October 21, 2026, with version 1.0. The release date and last update date are the same, indicating it is a new release.

## Version history (last 1 release)

### 1.0 — 2026-10-21

No release notes.

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-10-25.*