oscar / Learn Japanese
Learn Japanese with YouTube, Shorts and books.
oscar turns real Japanese videos and books into lessons: tap any word in the subtitles, keep it as a flashcard with the picture and sound from the scene, and review it right before you would forget it.
Join the betaFree during beta · iPhone, Android, Windows & Mac
Watch Japanese, tap a word
Open any YouTube video or the Shorts feed in oscar. Every Japanese word you do not know yet is marked in the subtitle; one tap pauses the scene and opens the dictionary with the meaning, the forms and an AI explanation of this exact sentence. The dictionary is stored on your phone, so it works offline.
Furigana you can switch on over any kanji, and a separate Kanji course: about 3,000 kanji, each built from its parts and drawn with your finger, the ones in your own words first.
A Japanese Course you can walk
The Course path goes down a Japanese street of cherry trees, up to the Chūreitō pagoda. A three-minute level check sets your start, and beginners begin with kana. Voiced scenes, chests and card packs come along the way.
Grammar with Obaasan
Under the Course street, a lift goes down into the Grammar Depths: one stop per rule, run by Obaasan, who greets you, grumbles at a mistake and reads every right answer aloud. Pass the final test for a certificate. The stops:
- X is Y
- を, で, に, へ
- ある or いる
- Polite verbs
- い- and な-adjectives
- て-form
- Short forms
- は or が
Also in oscar
Learn any video
Pick a video and oscar finds the words you are missing, then turns them into a short Course stop. The cards it makes replay the moment from the video.
Flashcards that make themselves
One tap saves the word as a card with the screenshot, the audio and the sentence. A built-in spaced-repetition scheduler (FSRS) brings each card back right before you would forget it.
Books, articles and PDFs
Nine classic books in each language are already on the shelf. Add your own texts and PDFs, or point the camera at a paper page.
Talk to oscar
A voice tutor who knows your level and speaks just above it. Hold the button, speak, and get corrected.
Works offline
The dictionary and your reviews work without internet.
Phone and desktop
iPhone, Android, Windows and Mac, with cards and known words synced. A Chrome extension adds the dictionary to YouTube and any website.
Questions
Can I learn Japanese from YouTube with oscar?
Yes. oscar plays YouTube and Shorts with Japanese subtitles you can tap: each word opens a dictionary and can be saved as a flashcard that replays the moment. "Learn this video" picks the words you are missing from any video and turns them into a short Course stop.
Is oscar good for Japanese beginners?
Yes. A three-minute level check finds your start, the first lessons teach kana, and the Course builds up to real videos and books.
Does oscar teach Japanese grammar?
Yes, in the Grammar Depths: X is Y, を, で, に, へ, ある or いる, Polite verbs and more, one stop per rule, with Obaasan as your guide.
How much does oscar cost?
oscar is free during the beta. A paid plan, oscar.+, comes later; beta testers get it free.