Customer Reviews (500)

nextral • 2025-02-05T11:12:01-07:00

It’s $20 - Just get it! Well worth the money, even if it doesn’t cover as much as something like Genki. It’s simple, has great content & keeps you hooked.

RufusMcgraw • 2024-12-01T14:17:01-07:00

Human Japanese provides a wealth of fantastic educational content presented in a sensible, clear manner. It’s a boon for those returning to studying Japanese after a long break, including those like myself who were once well into the intermediate phase of learning. The app itself however feels woefully outdated in terms of design and functionality, and it’s not a good experience on iPad. The overall UX feels about a decade out-of-date.

Hoddez • 2024-10-28T01:10:45-07:00

Ive only just started, but this is exactly what most apps arent but should be: well designed, thoughtful, and help you do something without any unnecessary frills like badges and gamification. If you enjoy learning about things by starting from fundamentals, this is for you.

Summary of Key Insights

Human Japanese is overwhelmingly well-received as an effective and engaging tool for learning Japanese, particularly for beginners. Users praise its clear explanations, cultural insights, and enjoyable learning style. The app is considered a great value for its price. The most common weaknesses mentioned relate to the app's outdated design/functionality, lack of practice exercises, lack of Kanji coverage in the base app, and the need to pay separately for the iPad version. Despite these drawbacks, the overall sentiment is extremely positive, with a high percentage of 5-star reviews.

Quantitative Metrics:

  • Overall Rating: Approximately 4.8 stars (based on the distribution)
  • 5-Star Reviews: 88% (440/500)
  • 4-Star Reviews: 7.2% (36/500)
  • 3-Star Reviews: 2.2% (11/500)
  • 2-Star Reviews: 1.6% (8/500)
  • 1-Star Reviews: 1% (5/500)

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 500 reviews
  • Time Frame: The reviews span several years, indicating long-term user engagement and feedback.
  • Analysis Methods:
    • Sentiment Analysis: Categorizing reviews as positive, negative, or neutral to determine overall user satisfaction.
    • Keyword Extraction: Identifying frequently used words and phrases to pinpoint common themes, strengths, weaknesses, and feature requests.
    • Thematic Analysis: Grouping related issues and suggestions into overarching categories.

Key User Pain Points

  • Outdated Design/Functionality: Several users mention the app's outdated user interface and experience, especially on iPad. This can detract from the overall learning experience.
  • Lack of Practice Exercises: Many reviewers state that the app needs more practice exercises and better retention tools. The quizzes are often seen as insufficient for solidifying knowledge.
  • Separate iPad Version: The fact that the iPad version is a separate purchase is a major source of frustration for users. They feel it should be a universal app or a free upgrade for existing iPhone users.
  • Limited Kanji Coverage: The base app is perceived to be lacking in Kanji instruction, requiring users to purchase the intermediate app or other resources.
  • Glitches/Bugs: A few users reported technical issues such as crashes, missing text, and audio problems, which disrupt the learning process.
  • Inconvenient navigation: Some users wish it was easier to jump to specific lessons.

Frequently Requested Features

  • Universal App (iPhone/iPad): Users overwhelmingly desire a single purchase for both iPhone and iPad.
  • More Practice Exercises: More varied and extensive practice exercises, including writing practice.
  • Enhanced Kanji Support: More Kanji lessons or integration with Kanji learning apps.
  • Improved Navigation: Easier navigation between lessons and chapters.
  • Flashcard Integration: Built-in flashcard functionality or integration with popular flashcard apps like Anki.
  • Portrait Mode: Ability to use the app in portrait mode.
  • Speech Recognition: Functionality to listen and correct pronunciation.

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  • Clear Explanations: The app's explanations are consistently praised for being clear, concise, and easy to understand, especially for native English speakers.
  • Engaging Learning Style: The "human" and friendly tone of the app makes learning enjoyable and less intimidating.
  • Cultural Insights: The inclusion of cultural notes and historical context is highly valued, adding depth and interest to the learning process.
  • Effective for Beginners: The app is particularly effective for beginners with no prior knowledge of Japanese.
  • Good Value for Money: Many users feel the app is a great value for its price, offering more comprehensive instruction than more expensive alternatives.
  • Audio Pronunciation: The inclusion of audio samples by native speakers is considered essential for learning correct pronunciation.
  • Well-Structured Lessons: The lessons are well-organized and build upon each other logically.
  • Offline Access: The ability to use the app offline is appreciated by users who want to learn on the go.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

High Priority:

  • Develop a Universal App (iPhone/iPad): Address the widespread frustration by offering a single purchase for both iPhone and iPad.
  • Update Design and Functionality: Modernize the user interface and experience, particularly for iPad, to improve engagement and usability.
  • Add More Practice Exercises: Incorporate more varied and extensive practice exercises, including writing practice, to reinforce learning.

Medium Priority:

  • Enhance Kanji Support: Expand Kanji coverage in the base app or integrate with Kanji learning apps to provide a more comprehensive learning experience.
  • Improve Navigation: Implement easier navigation between lessons and chapters, such as a "jump to" page system.
  • Add Flashcard Integration: Integrate with popular flashcard apps like Anki or develop built-in flashcard functionality.

Low Priority:

  • Implement Portrait Mode: Add the option to use the app in portrait mode.
  • Add Speech Recognition: Incorporate speech recognition functionality to help users improve their pronunciation.
  • Address Glitches/Bugs: Fix any reported technical issues, such as crashes, missing text, and audio problems.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  • Human Languages Suite: Develop a suite of "Human [Language]" apps for other languages, replicating the successful teaching style and cultural insights of Human Japanese.
  • Kanji Learning Companion App: Create a companion app specifically focused on Kanji learning, designed to integrate seamlessly with Human Japanese.
  • Language Learning Platform with Personalized Feedback: Develop a platform that combines structured lessons with personalized feedback from native speakers, addressing the need for speaking practice.

Trends and Observations

  • Long-Term User Engagement: The presence of reviews spanning several years indicates that Human Japanese has a loyal user base.
  • Positive Sentiment Dominates: The vast majority of reviews are positive, suggesting that the app effectively meets the needs of its target audience.
  • Emphasis on Grammar and Culture: Users appreciate the app's focus on grammar and cultural context, setting it apart from other language learning tools that prioritize vocabulary memorization.
  • Comparison to Other Apps: The app is often compared favorably to more expensive alternatives like Rosetta Stone and Duolingo, highlighting its value and effectiveness.

Conclusion

Human Japanese is a highly regarded app for learning Japanese, particularly for beginners. Its strengths lie in its clear explanations, engaging learning style, and cultural insights. While there are areas for improvement, such as design modernization, more practice exercises, and expanded Kanji support, the overall sentiment is overwhelmingly positive. By addressing the prioritized action recommendations, the developers can further enhance the user experience and solidify Human Japanese's position as a leading language learning tool.

Original App Link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/human-japanese/id304090217?uo=2