Hear Japanese.
Say it back.
Bamen is a listening and speaking course for English speakers. Every card is a real sentence in a natural voice, with romaji, so you learn by ear first, the way you learned your own language.
7 days free, then $4.99 a month or $34.99 a year. Android.
一番近い駅はどこですか。
Ichiban chikai eki wa doko desu ka.
Where is the nearest station?
How a session works
Hear it
A card starts with audio. Listen, think what it means, then check. Tap any word to see what it means and where else you’ve met it.
Say it
Later the same sentence comes back the other way: you see the English and say the Japanese out loud. The app listens and shows how close you were.
Keep it
Cards return just before you’d forget them. Miss one and it comes back sooner, so ten minutes a day keeps everything fresh.
The lines
Lessons are laid out like a rail map. Each station is a real situation, from buying a ticket to a job interview: 109 stations, 2,885 cards and 118 grammar notes in all.
初級
Level 1: Survival
Get through a trip: polite set phrases and short questions. About JLPT N5, 53 stations, 1,352 cards.
- Basics Line BasicsNumbers & Counters
- Travel Line On the PlaneAirport — ArrivalAirport — DepartureBusesCar & DrivingDirectionsTaxiTrains & Transit
- Sightseeing Line Festivals & EventsHotelMuseums & AttractionsRyokan & OnsenTemples & ShrinesTourist InformationWeather & Seasons
- Food Line CafeCooking at HomeIzakayaConvenience StoreRestaurant — Dine InRestaurant — Take OutSupermarketSushi & Japanese FoodSweets & Bakery
- Errands Line Bank & MoneyElectronics & Clothing StoresPhone & InternetPost OfficeSalon & LaundryShopping
- Health Line Body & FeelingsDoctor & ClinicEmergenciesLost & FoundPharmacy
- Home Line Apartment & HomeKids & Family Outings
- Social Line FamilySelf-IntroductionTime & PlansWork & Office
- Fun Line Amusement ParkHobbies & Small TalkKaraoke & Nightlife
- Conversation Line EverydayErrandsFoodHealth & SafetySightseeingSocialTravel
中級
Level 2: Daily Life
Live there: casual speech, reasons, plans, opinions, problems. About JLPT N4, 28 stations, 766 cards.
- Travel Line CommutingTravel TroubleTrip Planning
- Sightseeing Line HomestayNature & the Outdoors
- Food Line Dining PreferencesHome Parties
- Errands Line Deliveries & Online ShoppingGifts & SouvenirsReturns & Repairs
- Health Line DentistEarthquakes & TyphoonsDoctor Follow-up
- Home Line Garbage & RecyclingMoving InPets & the Vet
- Social Line DatingInvitations & PlansMaking Friends (Casual)NeighborsPart-time Job
- Fun Line Gym & SportsHobby ClassesNew Year & Seasons
- Conversation Line Daily LifeErrandsFriendsTravel
上級
Level 3: Fluent Situations
Work and paperwork: keigo, contracts, interviews, hospitals. About JLPT N3 + keigo, 28 stations, 767 cards.
- Travel Line Car Accidents & InsuranceAnnouncements
- Sightseeing Line Hotel Concierge & Ryokan
- Food Line Kaiseki & Formal Dining
- Errands Line Bank Accounts & ContractsCity Hall & RegistrationComplaints & NegotiationTaxes & PensionVisas & Residence
- Health Line Hospital & SpecialistsHospital Stay & Surgery
- Home Line Building a HomeCaring for FamilyNeighborhood AssociationRenting & ContractsSchool & Parenting
- Social Line Apologies & FavorsBusiness MeetingsCeremonies & EtiquetteJob InterviewNews & OpinionsBusiness Phone CallsPresentations & ReportsWorkplace & Changing Jobs
- Conversation Line AdminHomeService KeigoWork
One pass for everything
$4.99 a month, or $34.99 a year
Start with 7 days free. The pass opens every line, level and voice. The Basics and Numbers stations and the Phrasebook stay free without it. Prices may show in your local currency in Google Play.
Questions
What does Bamen mean?
場面 (bamen) is Japanese for “scene” or “situation”. Every station in the app is one: the ticket gate, the pharmacy counter, the job interview.
Do I need to read Japanese?
No. Every sentence has romaji under it, so you can learn entirely by ear. Kana and kanji can be shown or hidden in settings.
What level is it for?
Three levels: Survival (about JLPT N5), Daily Life (N4) and Fluent Situations (N3 and polite business Japanese). A short check at the start puts you on the right one, and you can change it any time.
Whose voices are these?
Eight natural Japanese voices, four female and four male. Pick the one you like; conversations use a second voice so you hear two people talking.
Does it work offline?
Yes. The lessons and two voices are inside the app. The other six voices download the first time you use them and then work offline too.
How does the speaking part work?
You see the English, say the Japanese out loud, and your phone’s speech recognizer checks how close you were. You can also record yourself and compare with the voice.
How do I cancel?
In Google Play: Payments & subscriptions, then Subscriptions. You keep access until the end of the period you paid for.
Something else? Write to bamen@bamenlearning.com.