Why we built News
Words stick better when you meet them again in a real story. Flashcards help you remember a word. Reading helps you understand how it's used.
News is our first try at a reading space for learners. Each read is a short Japanese story based on news in Japan. Pick the level that suits you: Easy (N4 to N3) or Standard (N2 to N1).
Find it under Read in the sidebar. It's in Beta, so we'll keep improving it based on what you tell us.
Read with help when you need it
- Look up any word: the Words list shows every word and grammar point in the read, with its meaning and JLPT level. Select a word in the text to find it in the list, or select a word in the list to see everywhere it appears.
- Readings: turn furigana on or off.
- Translation: show an English translation under each paragraph.
- Listen: play the whole read aloud, and jump to any part with the progress bar.
Made for your study
Sign in to get these:
- Your weak words stand out: weak words are underlined in red, and the list shows which reads include them. Sort by Most weak words to find the reads that help you most.
- Save or mark words as Known: add words to your vocabulary from the Words list, or mark the ones you already know.
- See your progress: each read shows how well you know its words, from Not started to Mastered.
- Pick up where you left off: reads you've opened appear dimmed, and you can filter by read or unread.
- Share a read: send it to a friend on X, Facebook, or LINE, or copy the link.
Tell us what you think
Which topics would you like to read about? Is the level right? Use the feedback shortcut at the bottom of the sidebar and let us know.