iKnow! App Reviews

The newest update removed the progress bar, which makes it difficult to know what the daily progress is. Please bring it back.

First off, this is a subscription based learning app. So now that that is out of the way, I have been a subscriber for 2+ years and even though Ill go through periods where I dont study, I have found that the spaced repetition system they use is well implemented. I may go for months without studying sometimes, but when I pop back in to learn some more, Ill review previously completed lessons, and find that Im recalling a high percentage of the vocabulary. I know there is a lot of science behind language learning and I feel that iKnow does a great job with the way I learn. Worth the subscription fees for me.

I used to use anki for this sort of thing, but this app is great because it comes with premade decks, audio, and multiple card types for every vocab item. Pricy but probably worth it

Really been enjoying using this app over the past few weeks to increase my Japanese vocabulary. App works great and isnt a huge download like a lot of vocab learning apps are

If you have an iknow subscription this is great for reviewing when you are out (like on the train or waiting in line). I prefer the web for more serious studying. Iknow is great for building vocab!!

I’ve tried many apps for learning Japanese, but I keep coming back to iKnow for building vocabulary. It just works. I pay $30 for a single session with a tutor, so the $7-8/month subscription is really no big deal. The algorithms and app are FANTASTIC!! But the Japanese lesson plans are NOT FOR BEGINNERS. I really like this app - but the lesson plans have some serious problems for beginners (all of which are completely fixable if you want to take the time to write your own lesson plans through the iknow website) The pros 1) great for building vocabulary 2) effective algorithm for spaced repetition - the best I’ve tried 3) learn to listen/say/read/write all at once, pretty interesting content (for language learning, which is generally boring) 4) ability to quickly add my custom words to my study list (via iKnow website). The custom words is way to use - just type in the word in Japanese, and iKnow adds the translation & suggests sample sentences. 5) good variety of testing modes - you really learn deeply.. Pro/Con 1) forces you to learn kanji, hiragana, katakana Pro: if you want to become literate Con: If you just want to speak Japanese. There are probably faster learning methods. The cons below are only about the Japanese Core lessons. If you login to the website, you can add shared courses which are much much better than the ones provided by default. 1) Examples sentences are not suitable for beginners. The examples sentences assume you understand Japanese grammar. Even in the first Japanese lessons, you’ll be hit with intermediate grammar usage. So, when I was first leaning Japanese, it was pretty much impossible to use this app. You can’t turn off the example sentences, and must be able to type in the word to pass the lesson. No problem for nouns, but verbs and adjectives are often conjugated in the sentences. So, it’s not enough to remember “taberu” for “to eat”. You might need to understand (read/write/hear) the Japanese for “to eat, to have eaten, to not eat, to have not eaten” or even more complicated grammar. To be clear, this is just a lesson plan problem. Someone could write a lesson plan with beginning grammar in the beginning lessons… but they didn’t… 2) Words are introduced randomly (100 most common words first, etc.) This seems like a reasonable idea, but it would be much easier to learn in related groups of words. For example, learning a bunch related words together would be more useful than 10 completely unrelated words. Again, this is a lesson plan problem. Someone could organize the words… but they didn’t… 3) The examples sentences use vocabulary you have not learned yet. This would be ok if you’re planning to learn that vocabulary soon, but that’s not the case. The examples sentences in lesson 2 might use vocabulary from lesson 7 or 17. Again, completely avoidable... SUMMARY I think the app is darn near perfect, but the Japanese Core lesson plans are basically horrible for beginning Japanese language learners. Its basically like trying to learn by popping open a dictionary, memorizing a random word, then repeating forever. I suggest trying the "JLPT N5 Grouped” lessons instead (you have to find them on the website, add them to your courses, then they will appear in the app too)

I normally dont write reviews, but this app and service deserves serious recognition. The app is a breeze to use, and it doesnt clog system space or resources. The service is a gift of its own, allowing me to witness quick real-world results of my learning due to its concentrated, organized nature. The skilled artisans behind the creation of this service know exactly what they are doing, and I feel that they are doing a great service to international professionals worldwide.

At first I was wary of subscription based apps because I wasnt guaranteed that it would be a good fit for me or my learning style. Having used this app for over a year now, I would say it has played a key role in my expansion of vocabulary in Japanese. I still recommend this app to all my friends learning Japanese as the expanse of levels and the introductory quiz coordinates a starting point based on what you already know. The spaced-time recognition matrix means words you readily remember will be featured less often while new words will appear more frequently. In addition, its not just recognition by sight but also being able to pronounce the new word as you enter the syllables into the space provided and translating the meaning of the word. The only area in which I think the app is lacking is a writing section. Recognition by sight is one thing, but have you truly learned a concept if you can only recall it vocally?

This App came with a course Im taking and I have been exceptionally pleased with how well this has aided in learning a new language. The patterns used for memorization have greatly improved learning new words and in retention previous ones studied. I recommend it highly!

Its not perfect, but its definitely an adequate substitute for mobile iKnow learning just as is. Im looking forward to better integration between the app and online portion.

App is great for practicing sentence structures. This also helps with listening comprehension. Does need some knowledge in Japanese grammar first.

A tad intimidated at first because the words and sentences are spoken at normal, native speeds. But I quickly fell in love with the content, usability, and integration of mobile / browser functionality... Well thought out layout and content; love that IKnow offers examples in both male and female voices. If youre willing to put the time and effort into IKnow, it absolutely works for learning vocabulary and sentence structure...worth the money for sure!

Just loooooooooooooove this app, makes you feel something missing if you skip it a day...! The audio is great, very nice native speakers, the lay out is clear, you will understand even if you dont .!! Try it and look listen and learn...

The service is great, and the app is nice looking and easy to use. I renew my membership every year.

I am not consistent with my studies, but iKnow is helping with that. I like seeing my streak progress and the wonderful informative breakdowns of my work. I dont know if Ill ever study enough to reach N2, but thank you for such a great app. I love it and hope to become a lifetime member soon.

Very enjoyable way to build Japanese vocabulary.

You should look at this app as a great way to learn vocabulary and refresh your listening and grammar skills. It wont, however give you a great understanding of grammar or verb-ending rules. The best way to learn those remain text books, lecture, and conversation practice. This is also not an app thats going to teach a novice how to write kanji (or to read it rigorously) Caveats aside, for basic 4 skills training, the software quality is very high. Because it is humble in its goals, its really good at what it does and should serve as a superior approach to most flash card apps (because multimedia is more engaging and illustrative). For novices, Id recommend pairing this app with the Genki or Yookoso textbook series. For intermediate students, consider augmenting with the video lectures on Nihongo no Mori (YouTube)

This is a great study tool for people who are really serious about learning Japanese and Chinese. I absolutely love this app. Its pretty expensive but it often offers discounts to help you pay for a good 12 or 6 months. I highly recommend it to anyone!

So I liked it enough the first time to renew again and then again. THIS TIME Im using the custom function to drill on job related vocabulary. Easier, funner, and better than staring at my excel pages of "words that I looked up while translating or studying technical docs". THIS IS THE ONLY APP OF ANY SORT I HAVE EVER PAID FOR, by the way.

I have been using iKnow since it was known as smart.fm, and it is without a doubt the most effective Japanese learning program I have ever used. Very well done app as well for studying on the go.