How to practise Japanese with native speakers

The most direct way to practise Japanese with native speakers is a language exchange: find a Japanese speaker who's learning your language and trade conversation, half in Japanese and half in theirs. A good Japanese language exchange partner gives you what textbooks can't, which is how people actually phrase things, how polite to be, and what people really type to each other.

This guide is for learners who know some kana and basic grammar. It covers politeness levels, reading in chat, dialects, what to ask, and phrases for running the exchange.

What is a Japanese language exchange?

A Japanese language exchange is a free, regular conversation between two learners who teach each other: you help with English, your partner helps with Japanese. Neither of you is a tutor, so the value comes from real conversation and honest corrections. Most pairs split time evenly; how to structure a language exchange has a simple plan.

Where Japanese learners trip up in conversation

Politeness levels and keigo

Japanese marks politeness in the grammar itself. Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs describes five types of keigo:

• Sonkeigo shows respect for the other person, or someone else, when talking about what they do (irassharu, ossharu).
• Kenjōgo I shows respect for the person your own action is directed at (ukagau, mōshiageru).
• Kenjōgo II presents your own actions courteously to the listener (mairu, mōsu).
• Teineigo is the polite style, the desu and masu endings.
• Bikago makes words sound more refined (o-sake, o-ryōri).

For a language exchange, the good news is that you'll mostly need two levels: polite desu/masu and plain casual speech (iku rather than ikimasu). Desu/masu is a safe default with someone new. If your partner writes casually, or you've been chatting for a while, you can ask whether they'd like to switch: Tameguchi de hanashite mo ii desu ka?

Sonkeigo and kenjōgo still matter if you're aiming for work in Japanese. An exchange partner is an excellent person to practise them on, as long as you say that's what you're doing.

Three scripts in one message

Japanese uses three kinds of characters. As NHK's Easy Japanese course puts it, hiragana and katakana are phonetic, with each character standing for a syllable, while kanji carry meaning. A normal message mixes all three.

That can make a chat slow at first. Some ways to keep it moving:

• Ask your partner to write the reading of an unfamiliar kanji in hiragana next to it.
• Keep a list of kanji that come up in your chats. They're the ones that matter to you.
• Write in kana yourself when you don't know the kanji. It's readable, and your partner can show you the usual spelling.

Particles, and sounding like a textbook

Learners often write sentences that are correct and still sound stiff, or that use a particle a native speaker wouldn't choose. You won't learn this from rules alone. Ask "is this natural?" often, and ask directly about things like wa versus ga when a correction surprises you.

Standard Japanese and dialects

Alongside common Japanese (kyōtsūgo), the Japanese most courses teach, Japan has many regional dialects. Japan's National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics notes that the spread of the common language has worn down traditional dialects, and that switching between dialect and common Japanese depending on the situation is completely normal.

In practice, expect a partner to adjust to you as a learner. If you hear or see something that isn't in your textbook, ask whether it's local. Learning a few words from your partner's region is a friendly way to show interest in where they're from.

What to ask a Japanese speaker

• "Is this natural, or just correct?"
• "How polite does this sound? Too polite?"
• "Would you write this in kanji, or in hiragana?"
• "What would you say to a friend instead?"
• "Is this word used where you live?"

When you're returning the favour, how to correct someone kindly helps you correct their English without killing the mood.

Good first topics

• Where you each live and what a normal day looks like
• Food, especially what they'd recommend a visitor eats
• Anime, games, music or films, if you share any
• Seasons and holidays: what people actually do
• Why you're learning each other's language

If you haven't sent your opener yet, how to write your first message has examples, including one in Japanese.

On Talkabout, language and level filters are free, so you can look for Japanese speakers by language and by how far along they are. Your partner can also suggest a fix on any message, shown inline.

Useful Japanese phrases for the exchange

These use the polite desu/masu style, which is fine for anyone new.

FAQ

Is a Japanese language exchange free?

Yes. A language exchange is a trade: you help a Japanese speaker with English and they help you with Japanese. Neither of you is a paid teacher, so nobody pays.

Should I use keigo with a language exchange partner?

You rarely need honorific or humble keigo in a friendly exchange, but the polite desu and masu forms are a safe default with someone new. If your partner prefers casual speech, they will usually say so, or you can ask: Tameguchi de hanashite mo ii desu ka?

Do I need to read kanji before I start a Japanese language exchange?

No. Hiragana and katakana, the two phonetic scripts, will carry you a long way. When a kanji stops you, ask your partner how to read it or to write the reading alongside, and add it to your list.

How long does it take to learn Japanese?

The US Foreign Service Institute puts Japanese in its hardest group for English speakers and expects about 88 weeks of full-time study (2,200 class hours) for its students to reach level 3 on the ILR scale in speaking and listening. That is a long road, which is why regular conversation practice matters.

Start practising

Nobody reaches keigo fluency by reading about it. Send a hajimemashite, get corrected, and go again. Find a partner on the Japanese exchange page, or sign up free. Talkabout is free, runs in the browser and is for adults only.