GENKI Vocab for 3rd Ed.

The Japan Times Publishing

About this app

NOTE:
*This is for the 3rd edition of GENKI. If you are using the 2nd edition of GENKI books, please purchase the app "GENKI Vocab Cards for 2nd Ed."
*Supported OS: OS9.0 or higher is required to install this app.
*Depending on model of phone and environment, this app may not operate properly.


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Learn elementary Japanese words at your own pace!
GENKI Vocab for 3rd Ed. is an app that enables users to learn more than 1,200 words essential for beginners.

This is the official app for the 3rd edition of GENKI: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese, a best-selling series of Japanese learning materials boasting more than 2.5 million copies sold worldwide.

+++Advantages+++
◆Users can view the words and listen to the recordings as they like, enabling them to study at their own pace.
◆By repeating a process of memorization and self-checking, learners can firmly master important beginning-level vocabulary.
◆Words already memorized are progressively removed from the study set, so users can concentrate on just the words that challenge them, making for a more efficient approach to learning.

+++Study methods and functions+++
This app has three main modes: Study, Check, and List.

"Study" allows users to view the words, their meanings, and the example sentences over and over, so they can take their time learning.
・Audio recordings of all words and example sentences are provided with natural pronunciations by native speakers of Japanese.
・Fun illustrations help users to better retain the words studied.
・Users can bookmark the words they like. The bookmarked words are compiled in the Bookmark list in "List."

“Check” helps learners to track their mastery.
・Users check their understanding of the vocabulary studied and sort the words into those mastered and those not yet retained.
・The words already mastered are taken out of the study set, leaving behind just those that still need to be worked on.

“List” displays a list of all words covered by the app so that users can see their progress and review the vocabulary.
・The list can be arranged in any of three orderings: lesson order, a-i-u-e-o order, and alphabetical order. The words bookmarked in the Study mode are also listed in the Bookmark list.
・Checkmarks are automatically placed next to words that have been mastered.
・The Study view of words can be displayed from the list entries, enabling quick review.


○This app is based on the vocabulary from the third edition of GENKI.
○Ads: The app does not display any ads that might interfere with learning.

Ratings and reviews

My main gripes are that the UI is a little strange (but you get used to it), and it doesn't show stroke order. I think these 2 reasons, along with the price tag, are the main cause of its low rating. That being said, it has flashcards for every vocab, along with audio of the vocab itself and it being used in a sentence. ALL of the vocab (other than expressions) have artwork for it not seen in the book to help with memorization. The apps are also not only book 1, it covers all of book 2 as well.

While it does have it's short comings, this app has been an absolute lifesaver for me! It only covers the main vocabulary for each chapter, which means you are on your own when it comes to the supplementary vocab, but it allows you to do flashcards and quizzes to review and check your understanding of the vocab. The flashcards also have examples of the vocab used in sentences on the other side, which I found helpful for studying grammar. Price is a bit steep, but ultimately worth it IMO

Good app. All the words are in kanji with hiragana pronunciations so you already learn some kanji automatically. Super clean interface, very easy to use. Sadly there doesn't seem to be an automatic spaced repetition, you just either know the word or you don't. One thing that bothers me a little is that in the list view, some checkboxes are out of alignment. Doesnt really matter, but looks a bit wonky.