How long does it take to learn Japanese: What level of Japanese do you want to learn?
Starting off, what you should figure out for yourself is what level of Japanese you want to achieve. What is the goal? Depending on what level you choose, the difference in time and effort it takes. If your native language or another language you know uses kanji, for example, Chinese, your process can be much faster as Kanji is one of the most difficult parts of Japanese to learn. Do not let the amount of time it is estimated to learn alarm or deter you, it will go by quickly and the amount of time varies for everybody.
To learn the foundation of the Japanese language see the Ultimate Guide to Hiragana and Katakana
Beginner
If you are looking just to know the basics and the foundation of the language for visiting or you work at an English company and you don’t feel the need to learn completely right now, beginner is good for you. It is easy to learn and not overwhelming. You can get by in daily life
These are typically considered the easiest levels, N5-N4 in JLPT (Japanese-Language Proficiency Test). Study hours for this N5 and N4 level is usually about 325–1000 hours for non-kanji knowledge students while it is about 250 - 700 hours for those with kanji knowledge already.
What you can learn or do:
- Signs in public/ask directions/Book hotels
- Basic phrases
- Hiragana/Katakana/basic Kanji
- Most common words
- Be able to introduce yourself
- Meeting new people
- Language foundation
- Basic sentence patterns
For beginners, this is important to know, Ultimate Guide to Counting in Japanese
