iKnow - Japanese (and English) Learning Community

iKnow is a new website (currently in beta) where visitors can learn Japanese at their own, easy pace. To some, it’s just another Japanese language resource such as JapanesePod101, but the straight forward interface allows users to dive right in right away any time they want!

iKnow has a flash card-like interface featuring the word in Hiragana, Kanji (if available), and its meaning in English. You have the option to study 5 or 10 words per session, and upon your selection, you can click on the word the hear how it is said in Japanese. Of course, in addition you can study each word visually before starting starting the actual course. There’s also a photo representation of a situation that uses the word, as well as an example of the word used in a sentence (in Japanese).

During the course, you are given an overview of a single word. Then you are quizzed on what the word means. If you guess it right, iKnow moves on to the next word. Miss it, then you will have to study the word again. Once you advance to the middle of the course, it gets a bit tougher. You will then have to guess the word correctly by selecting the Hiragana version, the Kanji version, or typing by it in (without the need of using IME). However, if you’ve studied the basics of the language in the past, it can be really easy.

Once the course is complete, you are given an overview of what you have learned so far. The screen shows the percentage of the words learned in the session; the lower the percentage, the more you will see it the next time you go over the course. On the other hand, the more you learned the word, the better chance of remembering the word later when you need it!

Not only is the site for learners of Japanese, there’s even a portal for Japanese speakers to learn English as well! The site also features articles written by members of the iKnow community, as well as blogs for members to keep up with what they’ve learn so far.

It’s been a day since I tried out iknow, and I still remember a small deal of words (including words I’ve learned in the past from general interest).

Words (Mentally) Remembered So Far:

1. 家　(うち) – House
2. 私　(わたし) – I (Myself)
3. 多い　(おおい) – Lots; Many
4. 見る　(みる) – See; Look
5. 時間　(じかん) – Time; Hour
6. 今年　(ことし) – This Year
7. 始める　(はじめる) – Begin

My experience with iKnow has been great! I have yet to communicate with other members, but they appear friendly and willing to lend a helping hand. I hope to run into a few in the future! I plan to study using iKnow for a while, and I will eventually post my results. You can find me on iKnow as yours truly. To see for yourself, you can try it out as a guest on the website. You can even save your progress by signing up!

がんばって!

Pros: Learn Japanese in a flash card environment and keep up with words learned so far. Friendly community.

Cons: Requires some memorization of Hiragana.