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Learned Japanese? Learn this next

Best language to learn after Japanese

Japanese teaches you particles, verbs at the end of the sentence and kanji, and each of these makes one or two other languages easier.

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Updated · by the 4ToSpeak team

4 languages to learn after Japanese, ranked

  1. 1. Korean

    A lot carries over

    Very similar word order and particles, and many shared grammar ideas. Hangul is also much quicker than kanji.

    Hardest for English speakers · about 2,200 hours

    Learn Korean · How long it takes

  2. 2. Chinese

    Some carries over

    You will already recognise many characters, although pronunciation and grammar are different, and tones are new.

    Hardest for English speakers · about 2,200 hours

    Learn Chinese · How long it takes

  3. 3. Vietnamese

    A little carries over

    Many words come from Chinese, and the grammar is simple, but tones need ear training.

    Harder for English speakers · about 1,100 hours

    Learn Vietnamese · How long it takes

  4. 4. Indonesian

    A little carries over

    Very light grammar, which feels like a rest after Japanese politeness levels.

    Moderate for English speakers · about 900 hours

    Learn Indonesian · How long it takes

“Carries over” is a guide to how much vocabulary, grammar and sound you will recognise, not a measurement. Hours are for a native English speaker starting from zero; your head start will shorten them.

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FAQ

Questions, answered

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What is the best language to learn after Japanese?

After Japanese, the best language to learn next is Korean. Very similar word order and particles, and many shared grammar ideas. Hangul is also much quicker than kanji. Chinese is the next best choice.

Which language is easiest to learn after Japanese?

Korean is the easiest next step, with "a lot" carrying over. Based on difficulty bands for English speakers, it takes about 2,200 hours, and you start ahead because of Japanese.

Should I master Japanese before starting another language?

You do not need to master it. A comfortable conversational level (the point where you can hold a short chat without panic) is enough. Starting a similar language too early can blur the two together, so build a solid base first.

Can I learn Japanese and Korean at the same time?

You can, but similar languages are easy to mix up. Most learners do better getting Japanese to a comfortable level and then adding Korean, which will feel much faster than starting from scratch.

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