FAQ

Hello! Tabi's creator here. Tabi is an indie developed app designed to help beginners learn Japanese. The app is a distillation of the Journey I took to achieve Japanese fluency without taking classes, using textbooks, and other traditional methods.

What does Tabi teach?

• The app is meant to teach you Japanese from zero knowledge

• The app begins with introducing you to the kana (the phonetic Japanese writing system) along with basic pronunciation.

• Grammar is taught with heavy influence by Tae Kim's Guide to Learning Japanese

• Kanji are taught in much the same as a book by Heisig called Remembering the Kanji. The major difference is the ordering in which the kanji are taught as the app only introduces kanji that are needed for the lesson or because the kanji use frequency is high.

• Vocabulary is incorporated directly into the grammar lessons and so you learn not only common use Japanese words, but also where you might use them in context.

• Self graded audio exercises are also available for each sentence that is learned to help retain vocabulary and improve listening and pronunciation skills

Why should I use the app over a different app?

• If you are a complete beginner this is a good place to start. Even if you aren't, the way the lessons and exercises are organized may help you develop some Japanese skills you weren't aware of.

• The incentive structure of the app is built around leveling up. The individual kana have levels, the kanji, the audio phonemes, and vocabulary all have levels that need leveling up. 

• The practice exercises are structured around output (writing and speaking exercises) with mechanisms for immediate feedback.

• The app doesn't bother you about daily reviews or the like. While SRS can be good in the beginning, the fear of missing even one day can instill bad studying habits (just clicking through exercises). 

Why do I think Tabi works better than other apps?

• Information is introduced in an i+1 format assuming zero knowledge and the knowledge is presented in small, bite sized, easily consumable chunks

• You get to practice all four skills necessary to master a language: Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking

• Examples of grammar points/vocab are shown in lessons and those examples become exercises you can practice at any time.

• The kanji are taught using proven memory techniques.

• The audio exercises are paired with each vocab exercises and the audio exercises are inspired by Generative Adversarial Networks used in some AI based generative technologies.

What's in store for the future?

• Content is a major focus. As this app is developed as a part time job with a single developer, content remains to be a focus to keep users engaged. The plan is to release a chapter's worth of content a month (about 50 kanji and about 75 to 100 vocab words plus grammar points).

• Detailed stats of progress and experience gained and will be iterated on to show you relevant content for your studies

• Custom study options are in the pipeline in the near future as well as an alternative to SRS that takes into account how well you performed on an exercises to determine when to show it to you again.

• Far future features include leader boards, loot boxes (based on the experience you gain from leveling up your exercises), avatar customization, and possibly some PvE games.

How can I delete my account and all associated data?

• To delete your account just follow the steps posted here.