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6 Places to Find Japanese Tutors Online for Custom Classes
Studying Japanese on your own can get you pretty far. But eventually you may want to take personalized lessons with a native speaker.
With the ease of the internet, you can quickly find someone to help you improve your Japanese from the comfort of your own home.
But where do you start?
In this post, I’ll share six excellent places to find a Japanese tutor online so you can step up your learning—on your schedule.
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
Contents
Where to Find Japanese Tutors Online
1. takelessons
App available for Android and iOS devices (for live group classes)
This site lets you connect with certified tutors and book online appointments through their system. The teachers then create customized lesson plans with you to help you reach your goals.
Prices range widely depending on the tutor (starting at $12 per 30-minute lesson) and your first lesson is free! If you enjoy your first lesson, you can buy a package of 1, 5, 10 or 15 lessons.
For each tutor, you can read their bio, teaching style and reviews. In addition to private lessons, you can also take classes with a small group of other students. This is usually a cheaper option and a great way to practice interacting in Japanese with more people at once.
With either option, you can access free on-demand videos and articles to supplement your learning.
2. Cafe Talk
This site uses a point system to purchase classes. You buy points then use them to book your lessons, which are conducted via Skype or Zoom.
The price per lesson ranges from $10 to $50 (1000 to 5000 points per hour at $0.01/point), with the average price at around $15 to $39.
You can search for a tutor based on price range, country of origin, qualifications, gender and more.
You can also search by category if you want to focus on a specific topic such as grammar, speaking, interview prep or travel. This allows you to find tutors with the experience and expertise you need based on your reasons for learning Japanese.
The site offers full-time tech support, so if you have issues with the technology you can get help quickly.
3. Preply
App available for Android and iOS devices
Preply allows you to input the times you are available, then finds tutors who can meet you at those times to suit your schedule. You can even post your own requirements and let tutors find you.
There’s a wide range of prices making it a very flexible option to accommodate your budget (most tutor rates are around $15 to $40 for a 50-minute lesson).
You can book a trial lesson before you commit, and there’s no need to install any additional programs as video lessons are held directly through the website.
There are special filters you can put on your search such as native speakers and professional tutors only or by specialities like conversational Japanese or Japanese for professionals. And each tutor’s profile includes a video introduction so you can get to know them better.
4. Verbling
App available for Android and iOS devices
Verbling has many tutors available, with prices as low as $10 per lesson. You’re able to check how many lessons a tutor has taught, so you can see at a glance how much experience they have.
This resource was created specifically for learning languages, so it has extra features ideal for the task, like textpads shared between you and the teacher, flashcards, a built-in grammar checker and more.
Everything, from the lessons themselves to the additional features, is done in your browser (or in the app).
Each tutor sets their own cancellation policy, so be sure to read them before you book. You can book a free trial to see if you feel comfortable with the tutor and their teaching style.
5. Wyzant
App available for Android and iOS devices
This is one of the more expensive options, but the tutors are all vetted and experienced. There’s a shared whiteboard system for collaborative writing and all lessons are held in the browser or app.
Wyzant uses a pay-per-lesson system, so you don’t need to sign up for a package. Prices are set by the tutor, starting at $25 per hour.
For each tutor, you can read their bio, education, policies and hourly rate, schedule, subjects they teach and their reviews. Some tutors also offer group classes.
They have a “Good Fit Guarantee” where they’ll refund your first hour if you feel the tutoring wasn’t a good fit for your needs.
6. Verbalplanet
This site focuses on connecting learners with native speakers. Their tutors from all over the world provide tailor-made lessons according to your level and learning goals.
The site allows you and your tutor to track your progress through a useful analysis and feedback system, which shows you exactly where your Japanese skills are in terms of the Common European Framework of References for Languages. This means every lesson can be really focused on the areas where you need to improve.
Their one-to-one lessons are held on Zoom, Skype or Teams. Prices range from $11 to $64 for a 40-minute lesson, and most tutors offer a free or heavily discounted trial lesson.
And you get a discount for booking more lessons, from 5% off for 5-9 lessons to 15% off for 55 lessons or more.
Picking the right tutor does require some research upfront, but in the end, it will be worth it.
With the right relationship, you can see your Japanese language proficiency grow far faster than it would if you were working on your own.
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
