Heldaru JPLearn Japanese N5 — completely, calmly, offline.
The one app built entirely around JLPT N5: hiragana and katakana from zero, essential kanji, real vocabulary, grammar that clicks, and enough spoken Japanese to actually hear it.
Heldaru JP is a self-study Japanese app built around one goal: real, confident JLPT N5. It teaches hiragana, katakana, core kanji, vocabulary, grammar and listening through spaced repetition and games — fully offline, no account required. Start for free, then unlock the full learning path with a low-priced, one-time premium purchase — no subscription.
Hi, I'm Michel, from the Netherlands. I've been learning Japanese myself since 2025 — Heldaru JP is a student-built app: made by a student, for students. Every struggle I ran into along the way, I tried to solve and bundle into one place, so the real basics are available to you quickly, without friction.
I kept running into apps that lock you into a subscription — credit card required — before your first free week is even over. Not everyone has a credit card. Not everyone can always be online. So I tried to combine the best of nearly every world: a real app that works fully offline, a free tier that's actually usable, and nothing forced on you just to look around.
One level. Learned properly.
Most language apps spread thin across every level and language at once. Heldaru JP does the opposite: every word, every kanji, every grammar point and every mini-game exists to take you from zero to a genuinely confident JLPT N5.
That's not a limitation — it's the whole idea. Master the real foundation first.
the idea behind the name Heldaru
A guided path, not a maze
Every phase unlocks the next, so you always know exactly what to study today.
Hiragana & katakana
Every stroke, every sound, with real native audio.
Vocabulary & verbs
882 words, 133 fully-conjugated verbs, by theme.
Grammar, step by step
41 N5 points, each explained step by step with real examples.
Kanji in context
143 N5 kanji, always tied to real words.
Listening & exams
Mock JLPT N5 tests, shaped like the real thing.
What makes Heldaru JP different
Not a translation-flashcard app with Japanese bolted on — a curriculum built for this one exam.
Hear real Japanese
Thousands of voice clips bring the app to life: every hiragana and katakana sound is spoken by real native voice actors, and every word, sentence and grammar example is read aloud in a natural AI voice you choose.
Review that remembers for you
Spaced repetition (SRS) brings back exactly what you're about to forget, right when you're about to forget it.
Practice like exam day
Mock JLPT N5 tests and listening drills shaped around the real exam format.
Mascots & worlds
Sakura, ukiyo-e, bushido and more — dressable companions that make studying feel like yours.
Study in your language
Heldaru JP explains everything — every lesson, every button — in whichever of these languages is easiest for you, while you learn Japanese.
A phased journey
A step-by-step path with a real exam gate at every phase, so progress always feels earned.
Flashcards, built around your own words
Not just the built-in deck — make it truly yours.
Build your own decks
Add any word, phrase or kanji you want to remember — your own custom decks, reviewed with the same spaced repetition as the built-in curriculum. Export, share or back them up whenever you like.
Cards with your own photos
A flashcard doesn't have to be just text. Attach a real photo — a menu, a sign, a label, anything — and turn it into a card that actually means something to you.
Real signs become flashcards
Kanji-jacht turns a trip to Japan into study material: spot real kanji on the street, photograph it, type what you think it means, and — if you're right — it's added as a new flashcard automatically, photo included.
🎒 Travel Buddy bundles everything for a trip to Japan — a live yen currency converter, a printable emergency & allergy card in Japanese, packing lists and seasonal tips — and connects straight to Kanji-jacht above, so every trip becomes new flashcards.
Heldaru Arcade
Studying doesn't have to feel like studying. Heldaru Arcade turns review into play — mini-games that quiz your kana, vocab and kanji, a yen economy you earn and spend, and a happy hour that makes coming back worth it.
Questions, answered
What is JLPT N5?
N5 is the first and most foundational level of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) — roughly 800 vocabulary words, about 100 kanji and basic grammar. It's the standard starting goal for anyone learning Japanese from zero.
Do I need any prior Japanese to start?
No. Heldaru JP starts from absolute zero — your very first hiragana character — and builds up in guided phases toward a confident JLPT N5.
Is Heldaru JP free?
Free to start. The first part of the learning path is free; a low-priced, one-time premium unlock opens the full path, all trainers and full offline use. No subscription.
Does it really work without internet?
Yes — install once, and every lesson, word, kanji, audio clip and game works completely offline. No account or sign-in is required either.
What languages is the app available in?
Dutch, English, German, French, Spanish and Portuguese, so you can learn Japanese from whichever language you're most comfortable in.
What makes it different from a general language app?
General apps spread across dozens of languages and levels at once. Heldaru JP focuses entirely on one goal — real JLPT N5 fluency — with a curriculum, mock exams and games built specifically around that exam.
Bright, calm, and complete.
Heldaru JP is coming in 2026.