Fukuoka Japanese, or Hakata-ben, is the speech of Fukuoka City and the area around it. Hakata speakers say where standard Japanese says for "because", and they end sentences with and . Every Japanese app we checked teaches standard Japanese, so this page says plainly what each one does for a learner of Hakata-ben. For lessons, guides, and videos, see our guide to Fukuoka Japanese resources.
Our Japanese app comparison covers apps for standard Japanese, and our Fukuoka Japanese comprehensible input guide covers what to read and watch.
Bubblegum
For serious learners, Bubblegum is the best app to learn Fukuoka Japanese. You learn from Fukuoka Japanese you can mostly understand, which is called comprehensible input.
Tell Poppy, your AI tutor, your level and what you like, and she writes your Fukuoka Japanese lessons. If a sentence is hard to follow, ask Poppy to explain it.
With Regenerative Review™, words you save show up again in new lessons, so that you can review words in new contexts without having to use flashcards.
Try asking what means.
Bubblegum focuses on reading and listening more than speaking. For speaking, use the tutors and partners below.
- Lessons are written in the Hakata dialect of Fukuoka.
- Lessons use Hakata forms like , , , and , in the dialogue and the narration.
- Furigana shows the reading above every kanji.
- Ask Poppy about a sentence while you read.
- Regenerative Review™ brings saved words back in new lessons, and you can export them to Anki as flashcards.
- Clear, expressive AI voices read every lesson aloud, with a different voice for each speaker.
- Learn every letter in the free Japanese Hiragana course, with a picture to help you remember each one.
- You can't turn manga or books you own into lessons. However, you can take a photo of a page, and Poppy will explain each line.
- Custom lessons cost us money to make, so you need Bubblegum Pro for unlimited custom lessons. Lessons Poppy wrote for other learners are free for everyone to read.
- Regenerative Review™
- Teaches Fukuoka speech
Mobile
These are good for your first reading and listening, but none of them teaches Hakata-ben. Read and listen here for your base, then use the people below for the dialect.
Satori Reader
Tap a sentence to hear it, and open the underlined notes for the hard parts.
- More than 1,650 stories to read or listen to, with grammar explanations built into the text.
- The text shows kanji you know and adds readings to the ones you don't.
- Flashcards
- Standard Japanese, not Fukuoka speech
MobileWeb
Natural Japanese
Start here if you'd like to hear a lot of Japanese before you read much of it.
- Teachers explain things in simple Japanese, with videos for complete beginners up to advanced learners.
- A score on each video tells you how hard it is.
- Standard Japanese, not Fukuoka speech
Web
LingQ
If you find Hakata-ben clips online, LingQ lets you import them and read along.
- Bring in a YouTube video or a podcast, and read its transcript while it plays.
- Flashcards
- Standard Japanese, not Fukuoka speech
MobileWeb
Duolingo's Japanese course teaches standard Japanese, and its course page does not list Hakata-ben.
italki
Search for tutors who grew up in or live in Fukuoka; some mention Hakata dialect in their profiles.
- Find tutors from Fukuoka who teach Hakata dialect.
- Get feedback while you speak.
MobileWeb
Tandem
Tandem lists Japanese speakers who live in Fukuoka. Ask one to text you in the way friends there do, with and .
- Practice with messages and video chat.
- Find language partners in Fukuoka.
- It can take a few tries to find a partner who matches your interests and time.
MobileWeb
Bubblegum is the only app here with lessons written in Hakata-ben. The rest give you a standard Japanese base or a way to meet people.
| App | Teaches Fukuoka Japanese | What It Helps With |
|---|---|---|
| Bubblegum | Yes | Reading and listening at your level |
| Satori Reader | No, standard Japanese | Graded stories with audio |
| Natural Japanese | No, standard Japanese | Videos you can follow |
| LingQ | No Hakata-ben material listed | Your own Japanese texts |
| Duolingo | No, standard Japanese | Short, game-like lessons |
| italki | PartlyWith a tutor from Fukuoka | Speaking with feedback |
| Tandem | PartlyWith a partner in Fukuoka | Conversation practice |
| App | Free? | What's Free |
|---|---|---|
| Bubblegum | Free version | Custom lessons cost us money to make, so you need Bubblegum Pro for unlimited custom lessons. Lessons Poppy wrote for other learners are free for everyone to read. |
| Satori Reader | Some lessons free | A free Satori Reader account never expires and gives you selected episodes. Satori Reader Pro opens the whole library of stories. |
| Natural Japanese | Not stated | Natural Japanese keeps its founding teacher's videos for members until they are retired, and its pages do not say what is free. |
| LingQ | Free version | A free account lets you save up to 20 words and phrases and import 5 lessons of your own. LingQ Premium removes both limits. |
| italki | Paid | You pay for each lesson, and each teacher sets their own price. Practicing with the community and taking the level test are free. |
| Tandem | Free version | Signing up is free, and Tandem reviews each new member first. Many features are free, and Tandem Pro gives you all of them. |
The number of languages you can use an app in isn't the same as the languages its lessons explain things in, so check one lesson in your language before you pay.
| App | Languages You Can Use It In | Full List |
|---|---|---|
| Bubblegum | 76 | Supported language pairs |
| Satori Reader | — | App Store |
| italki | 19 | App Store |
| Tandem | 14 | App Store |
Which Fukuoka Japanese app should a beginner choose?
If you are serious about learning Fukuoka Japanese, start with Bubblegum. Poppy, your AI tutor, writes lessons at your level about things you like. If you want feedback while you speak, book a Fukuoka tutor on italki and read the profile first to see how much Hakata-ben they teach.
Should I learn Hakata-ben or standard Japanese first?
Standard Japanese works everywhere in Japan, so start there. Switch to Hakata-ben when you plan to live, work, or study in Fukuoka, or when you want to follow what your friends and neighbors there say.
Why does only one app teach Hakata-ben?
Textbooks, exams, and news all use standard Japanese, so apps follow them. Hakata-ben lessons that exist are free blog series and videos, which the Fukuoka Japanese guide puts into one plan.
Is Bubblegum free?
Yes. Lessons Poppy wrote for other learners are free for everyone to read. Custom lessons cost us money to make, so you need Bubblegum Pro for unlimited custom lessons.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Hakata dialect (Hichiku group and question ending)
- Japanese Wikipedia: 博多弁
- Genki Japanese and Culture School: Hakata-ben, ken (because)
- Genki Japanese and Culture School: Hakata-ben kouza, ttai
- Satori Reader
- Satori Reader on the App Store
- Natural Japanese
- Natural Japanese: important update (new name in June 2026)
- LingQ: Learn Japanese
- LingQ: free and premium plans
- Duolingo: Japanese course for English speakers
- italki: Japanese teachers
- italki: iPhone App Store listing (languages you can use it in)
- Tandem: Learn Japanese in Fukuoka
- Tandem: iPhone App Store listing (languages you can use it in)
- Satori Reader: pricing
- LingQ: sign up (free plan)
- italki: home page (lesson prices)
- Tandem: home page (what is free)
- Tandem on the App Store (what is free)
- Bubblegum
