Jlab Beginner’s Course

I created a free, anime-based course for beginners that teaches (almost) all grammar and about 1000 words. You can download it from Ankiweb. There’s a summary video on YouTube.

Current version: 14
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Troubleshooting guide for import and update issues.
Other decks I created.
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  • Flashcard-based for maximum efficiency (ships as Anki deck)
  • Each flashcard introduces only a single new item (word or grammar)
  • No prior knowledge required, in particular no reading skills
  • Follows Tae Kim’s grammar guide
  • All example sentences are from real anime & dorama
  • Audio and image included
  • Minimal grammar explanations on the flashcards
  • Works with my Anki addon, which takes care of teaching the writing systems. Can also be used without this.
  • My own most important lessons learned are on cards in between, taken from the learner’s diary I kept for about 5 years

  • Install the PC version of Anki (Qt6 branch, the addon does not support Qt5 anymore).
  • Install the jlab addon (in Anki, go to Tools -> Addons -> Get Addons, then enter the following ID: 2110939339).
  • Download and import the beginner course on your computer (after the addon was installed).
  • Optional: Install AnkiDroid or AnkiMobile.
  • Optional: Register a free account on Ankiweb to sync your progress across multiple devices.
  • Optional: Sync everything to your mobile device using Ankiweb.
  • For correct updating behavior, only import the new deck on your computer’s Anki while having the jlab addon installed (nothing bad happens if you do it on a different device, but you need to take care of a few things yourself then.

  • Get Anki, AnkiDroid or AnkiMobile.
  • Download and import the Jlab beginner deck on your computer.
  • All further instructions are found inside the deck.
  • Without the jlab addon, you need to take care of a few things yourself, read more here.

Anki provides a lot of freedom, you can customize lots of things related to the deck. For proper updating however, don’t do the following:

  • Shift, add or delete fields on the note.
  • Rename the deck or move it into a subdeck
  • Delete one of the subdecks

All of the above lead to problems when updating to a later version. The problems can all be fixed, but this is fiddly and complicated. Changing the card template however is fine.

  • The deck has two subdecks. Start with the listening comprehension deck, it contains a few extra cards.
  • Try not to do more than 10 cards in the beginning (to avoid an avalanche of old cards).
  • For card-specific questions / bug reports / complaints, use the question link on the card.
  • Before asking a question, have a look at a few more cards, I usually cover things with more than one example.
  • Try to focus on listening comprehension first, that’s the easiest part. Don’t try to recite/shadow the sentences.
  • If you’re not a total beginner, you may already understand some of the cards upon first sight. These ones should be suspended immediately (@ or !).
  • The reading deck should be done after the listening deck, but is absolutely not mandatory. It is only for practicing kana, my original intention behind this is explained in this YouTube-video (in the context of the anki addon).
  • Further instructions are found inside the deck.