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Whether you plan to compete in today’s global market or simply want to try something new, speaking Japanese is an essential language skill to acquire. Spoken primarily in Japan as the national language, approximately 128 million people speak Japanese as a first language. Written Japanese uses the Chinese characters (kanji) and much of its compound words (made of 2 or more characters) were originally derived from Chinese.
Mostly a phonetic language, Japanese does not use any articles. Nouns do not have a masculine or feminine connotation, and verbs are generally only conjugated for tense. Sentence structure is topic-comment format, which can be a bit confusing as the ‘topic’ is not always the ‘subject.’ If you are ready to give learning to speak Japanese a shot, check out our review for Rocket Japanese below.
Rocket Japanese Review Summary
The award-winning Rocket Languages brings you Rocket Japanese for students of Japanese. The company promises (and mostly delivers) a powerful language learning platform with practical lessons that are proven to work. Boasting their Mastery Method, Rocket Japanese builds on research of those who speak more than one language and actual science to effectively teach Japanese.
This Mastery Method includes:
- Out-loud speaking activities
- Step-by-step instructions
- Pronunciation practice
- Time efficiency
- Whole-brain learning
Rocket Japanese promises to enhance your affinity for the Japanese culture by teaching you how locals live, work and play. It also offers a large variety of activities to keep you motivated and on track to learning with relevant topics and vocabulary.
Good Points Of Rocket Japanese
The efficiency and flexibility of the program won it major points with us. Here’s what we liked best:
Bad Points Of Rocket Japanese
There were a few things we didn’t love about Rocket Japanese. Here are two that stood out:
What are the Lessons Like?
Lessons vary by level and build upon each previous level. Rocket Japanese takes a comprehensive and immersive approach to teaching. Instead of simply repeating vocabulary words or phrases, you will learn the grammar behind the construction of those phrases. This in-depth approach often yields the most proficient results.
Level 1 offers over 134 hours of lessons that you can go over as many times as necessary. There are 34 interactive audio lessons to help you perfect your pronunciation, and 33 language and culture lessons to help fully immerse you in Japanese. Should you choose to buy two or even all three lessons, you will receive up to 370 hours of lesson time.
Who Is Rocket Japanese For?
Rocket Japanese is recommended for anyone who:
- wants to quickly master Japanese as a second or third language
- wants to get ahead in business by expanding to Japan
- wants to be conversational for an upcoming vacation or business trip
- enjoys learning at their own pace
- thrives on independent study
Who Is Rocket Japanese NOT For?
Language learning software is hardly a one-size-fits-all investment. Those who might not benefit from something like Rocket Japanese include those who:
- are visual learners (this course is mostly geared toward listening)
- thrive more in classroom environments
- cannot afford the initial investment and would do better on a monthly subscription
Rocket Japanese vs. The Competition
You can find quite a few free and subscription programs that claim to quickly and effectively teach you to speak Japanese. Which ones are worth the hype and how does Rocket Japanese compare? Read on for information about some competitors.
Rocket Japanese vs. JapanesePod101
One of the first language programs you will find when searching is JapanesePod101. It is set up very much like Rocket Japanese with immersive learning from a logical stand point that builds upon previous lessons.
Both programs offer substantial content with both apps and desktop versions, so you can learn anywhere. The biggest difference between the two is that JapanesePod101 utilizes a monthly subscription service instead of one-time payment.
Read our full review of JapanesePod101.
Rocket Japanese vs. FluentU
FluentU takes a unique approach to language learning by adding subtitles and interactive captions to mostly YouTube videos. While this can certainly be entertaining, comprehensive content with grammar lessons is lacking. There is no real structure to this approach and though it could definitely be used as a secondary program, it really isn’t suited for beginners seeking fluency. FluentU also charges on a monthly or yearly basis.
Read our full review of FluentU.
Rocket Japanese vs. Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone offers both a monthly subscription plan and a lifetime access plan so you have options. Like Rocket Japanese, they offer a voice recognition to help you fine-tune your pronunciation. Lessons can be learned on desktop or mobile app and are as short as 10 minutes long. Tutoring is available for an additional monthly fee.
Read our detailed review of Rosetta Stone Japanese.[/wps_note]
Is Rocket Japanese Worth the Money?
When you consider the amount of learning material you will get with Rocket Japanese, you will probably agree that it is worth the money. If you were to compare the cost of attending a language learning class at a college or university, you will see that Rocket Japanese ends up being more affordable.
One thing we really liked about Rocket Japanese is that they offer a free trial, so you can see if their course fits your learning style.
Final Thoughts on Rocket Japanese
Rocket Japanese is a legitimate learning tool that will help you become fluent in the language if you are motivated. The included interactive voice lessons are a bonus over most other programs in helping you perfect your pronunciation. The one-time fee means that you set the timeline on your learning with no regrets about wasting money.
All in all, Rocket Japanese is one of the most comprehensive courses out there for learning languages. Its scientific Mastery Method is a logical way to learn, retain and use Japanese in everyday life.
