If native speakers can’t always get it right, it’s only natural for Japanese learners to find Japanese grammar rules a bit challenging as well. Learning all the rules and structures is a lot easier when you have a Japanese grammar checker on hand.
But I really have to drive this home: Japanese grammar checkers are rarely 100% accurate. However, they can be a super useful resource when it comes to spotting mistakes in your work.
With that said, check out my four recommended Japanese checkers to quickly catch errors in your writing.
Do you like simple, clean and straight-to-the-point software? Then you’re sure to like this resource.
The LanguageTool proofreading program isn’t just handy for checking Japanese grammar, it also has quite a handful of other languages to choose from. Everything’s presented in a neat, clean user-friendly interface that anybody can use, whether you’re a beginner, intermediate or advanced Japanese learner.
The free version includes the capability to check 20,000 characters at once and detect hundreds of grammar pattern errors. The premium version includes even more niche errors to check for and a doubled maximum of 40,000 characters per check.
LanguageTool has a Microsoft Word add-on, Chrome and Firefox extensions and you can even add it to your Google Docs and many other programs thanks to the community of users.
It’s quite simple to use, as well. Simply type or copy and paste a block of Japanese text and view which portions are highlighted. Click each highlighted part to learn why it’s a grammar error and see suggestions for correcting it. Most errors come with an example section as well, to learn even more about Japanese grammar.
If you’ve ever had a friend or family member around who’s fluent in your target language, you’ve probably benefited massively from their help. Having someone who grew up with a particular language can definitely help newbies pick out grammatical errors in their studies.
If you don’t have a Japanese buddy or family member around, HiNative is here to help. Consider it a sort of language “forum” but with more structure and reliability. Everyone who posts there really wants to learn their respective language of choice and help others learn the language they’ve been speaking their whole lives.
Simply make an account and post some text in Japanese. Native speakers will be able to correct and critique what you’ve written. You can return the favor by helping English learners improve their grammar as well.
HiNative is free to use and very active, making it a great organic type of Japanese grammar checker to try.
If you use the Chrome browser, check out Rikaikun. This ultra-handy in-browser Japanese dictionary covers words, phrases and grammar.
Once installed, simply hover your mouse over a Japanese word and a popup will appear. This popup will include a detailed definition, hiragana spellings and whether or not there are grammatical errors present in the sentence.
You can select an individual character and view its radicals, translation, stroke count, index, hiragana and katakana.
Another benefit of Rikaikun is its ability to look up conjugated words. It can display a conjugated word’s dictionary form and which form it’s in, something that’s missing from a lot of Japanese grammar checkers out there. Rikaikun can even be used with downloadable dictionary files to really amp up your vocabulary.
If you’d prefer a Japanese grammar checker that’s automatically installed into your browser and features a dictionary, check out Rikaikun. It’s totally free, too.
The Human Japanese software is available for Windows, Android and Apple products. It’s touted as a “personal sensei in a box” and that isn’t too far from the truth.
Human Japanese goes above and beyond what you’d expect from a regular grammar checker. This application features thousands of live recordings, clear definitions and explanations of grammar concepts, quizzes, reviews, animations of stroke order and much more.
It’s received rave reviews from major publications and is said to be a program that covers grammar, reading, writing, vocabulary and beyond. Talk about the ultimate package! Not only do you get in-depth explanations and critiques of Japanese grammar, you also get all the bells and whistles of a quality language-teaching app as well.
While Human Japanese does come at a cost (around $10-20, depending on which platform you choose) beginners and intermediate learners can enjoy a free trial. Advanced users, although you’re left out of this one, you can definitely benefit from reviewing Japanese grammar with Human Japanese. Nothing like a refresher to get the gears turning!
Japanese grammar checkers are super handy. Pick your favorite from this list and bookmark it (or install it) for future use.
To get the most from your grammar checker, make it a part of a full learning program. For instance, you can pair it with FluentU for a powerful combination.
FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.
You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.
If you love learning Japanese with authentic materials, then I should also tell you more about FluentU.
FluentU naturally and gradually eases you into learning Japanese language and culture. You'll learn real Japanese as it's spoken in real life.
FluentU has a broad range of contemporary videos as you'll see below:
FluentU makes these native Japanese videos approachable through interactive transcripts. Tap on any word to look it up instantly.
All definitions have multiple examples, and they're written for Japanese learners like you. Tap to add words you'd like to review to a vocab list.
And FluentU has a learn mode which turns every video into a language learning lesson. You can always swipe left or right to see more examples.
The best part? FluentU keeps track of your vocabulary, and gives you extra practice with difficult words. It'll even remind you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned. You'll have a 100% personalized experience.
