Fukuoka Japanese, or Hakata-ben, is the Japanese of Fukuoka, a city of about 1.6 million people on the island of Kyushu. Hakata-ben belongs to the Hichiku group of dialects spoken in western Kyushu. People ask a yes-or-no question by adding と, end sentences with ばい or たい, and say けん where standard Japanese says から.
Many Japanese apps teach standard Japanese, so this guide gathers the tutors and lessons made for Hakata-ben. For the apps that cover Japanese more broadly, see our Japanese app comparison. If you are curious about another Japanese dialect, see our guide to Kansai Japanese. Here are the Fukuoka Japanese resources we found, grouped by what they help you do. You can start with one and add another when you need it.
Custom Lessons Made for You
Bubblegum
Bubblegum suits learners who want Fukuoka Japanese built around their own lives. Tell Poppy, your AI tutor, what you want to learn. She writes lessons in Fukuoka Japanese for your level and helps you understand the words and grammar. You can read and listen, and ask her about anything that is unclear. News and stories give you more Japanese to read about the things you care about.
The trade-off is that Bubblegum does not replace real Fukuoka voices. For conversation, italki and Tandem are the better fit.
- Fukuoka Japanese is its own journey in Bubblegum, with lessons written in the Hakata dialect of Fukuoka.
- Lessons use Hakata forms like けん, ばってん, ばい, and たい, in the dialogue and the narration.
- Furigana shows the reading above every kanji.
- Lessons fit your level, interests, and goals.
- Ask Poppy about a sentence while you read.
- Regenerative Review™ brings saved words back in new lessons, so you review them by reading instead of using flashcards.
- Lesson audio uses AI voices, not recordings of Fukuoka speakers.
- You cannot import your own books or articles.
- The free plan includes one new custom lesson each day.
- Regenerative Review™
Mobile
Learn With People
A tutor can teach you and correct you while you speak. A language exchange gives you a practice partner, and you help with their language in return.
italki
Tutors who grew up in or live in Fukuoka mention Hakata dialect in their profiles, and some offer Hakata dialect lessons. Read profiles to find a tutor who fits your goals.
- Find tutors from Fukuoka who teach Hakata dialect.
- Get feedback while you speak.
MobileWeb
Tandem
Tandem has a page for Japanese language exchange in Fukuoka. Agree with your partner on how to split your time between Japanese and your own language.
- 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
Lessons, Guides, and Videos for Hakata-ben
Genki Japanese and Culture School, a Japanese school in Fukuoka City, has a blog series of Hakata-ben lessons that is free to read. The posts explain the ending たい, けん for because, and how to make negative verbs, and its post What Is Hakata-ben? introduces the dialect. Japan Travel Guide MATCHA has a guide to Hakata key phrases and Fukuoka slang, and the Japanese textbook on Wikibooks has a page on Kyushu dialects.
For videos, Hakata Dialect Course with Chien Chien and Emily and 5 Hakata Ben (Dialect) Everyday Words are two Hakata-ben lessons on YouTube. If you read Japanese, 方言辞典 lists Hakata-ben words such as せからしか, with a conversion tool.
If you visit Fukuoka, Fukuoka City's official tourist guide lists the Hakata Machiya Folk Museum as a place where you can enjoy a Hakata dialect lecture.
Learn Fukuoka Japanese in Your Language
These counts cover menu-language choices, including script variants. Other apps’ counts and full lists come from their iPhone listings. Lesson explanations and other platforms may differ.
| App | Supported Display Languages | Full List |
|---|---|---|
| Bubblegum | 74 | Full list
|
| italki | 19 | Full list |
| Tandem | 14 | Full list |
Other Apps We Looked At (2)
- PreplySeveral Preply tutors from Fukuoka say they can teach Hakata dialect. Read the profiles in its Japanese tutor list to find one who fits your goals.
- Memrise word listsHakata Dialect (Romaji) is a course another learner made, with lessons such as Do You Speak Hakata Dialect?, which you can study on the separate Community Courses website.
Common Questions
Should I learn Hakata-ben or standard Japanese first?
Many learners start with standard Japanese, because textbooks and many apps teach it and it works everywhere in Japan. Add 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.
Can I learn Hakata-ben for free?
Yes. Genki Japanese and Culture School's Hakata-ben blog series is free to read, and Wikibooks has a free page on Kyushu dialects. YouTube has more Hakata-ben lessons. Bubblegum's Japanese lesson library is free to read too.
Is Bubblegum free?
Yes. You can read the free lesson library and ask Poppy for one new custom lesson each day on iPhone and Android. Become a Bubblegum Pro for unlimited custom lessons and to support our team.
Sources
- Hakata dialect (Hichiku group and question ending)
- List of cities in Fukuoka Prefecture by population
- Genki Japanese and Culture School: Hakata-ben kouza, ttai
- Genki Japanese and Culture School: Hakata-ben, ken
- Genki Japanese and Culture School: Hakata-ben kouza, negative forms
- Japan Travel Guide MATCHA: Hakata Dialect Guide
- Tandem: Learn Japanese in Fukuoka
- italki: Japanese teachers
- YOKANAVI, Fukuoka City Official Tourist Guide: Hakata Machiya Folk Museum
- Wikibooks: Japanese, Dialects, Kyushu
- Bubblegum
Checked on October 5, 2026 against each app's own pages.
