Speekit FAQ

What is Speekit?

Speekit is a painless new way to learn Japanese using real-life situations. Learn vocabulary then get help when you encounter problems. Simple as that.

At Speekit, you will build your Japanese vocabulary by immersing yourself in situations you will encounter in Japan. This helps you grasp key words that you are likely to actually encounter in real life.

And since the photos are taken in Japan, everything is culturally relevant to Japanese. When you are ready, quiz yourself on the words you’ve learned. The better you know the words, the more points you'll earn. Track your progress, and compete for top rank with other Japanese learners like yourself. It’s fun, interactive, and best of all--painless.

If you have a question about Japan or Japanese, you can find the answer using the Speekit Answers service. Simply search for your question and find one answer to your question. If you can’t find what you're looking for, just post your question and our community of Japanese educators and learners will help you answer your question. It’s the wikipedia for Japanese language questions. No more searching the web for hours for the answers to your questions.

Who is behind Speekit?

Well, the short answer is us! Aaron Lovelace and Kevin Kajitani. We are two guys and we design, program, create lessons, the whole schebang! We split our time between Seattle, Hawai'i, and Japan. We didn't raise millions of dollars to build this site, we just worked really hard on our own, got help from friends from time-to-time, and did it ourselves the old fashioned way.

Speekit was born out of our own frustrations with learning Japanese. We know that learning a language is a frustrating experience, especially when you realize that you can't apply what you learned. The best way to solve this problem? Make it relevant and fun!

And we got help from language researchers, Japanese educators, and college professors to make sure it works.

If you want to know more about us, we also maintain a podcast at iSpeakJapanese.net.

Is Speekit free?

To start learning and participating on Speekit.com, you will first need to create an account. There are two account types: Free Trial and Premium. The Free Trial membership will give you a chance to test-drive the site. You will get access to a handful of lessons and allow you ask questions and get answers using Speekit Answers.

For a small monthly fee, you can unlock our growing library of lessons. Since you can cancel anytime, you only pay for what you use.

What are points?

Points are a way to help you track your progress and measure yourself against other members. Points very closely follow your real learning progress. They are awarded for doing well on quizzes and asking questions... both things that help improve your real knowledge of Japanese.

What are badges?

Badges are like awards you earn over time for accomplishments. There are various types of badges that you can earn. As soon as you earn them, they are displayed on your profile for all to see. Bask in your glory!

Can I use Speekit with other self-study programs or books?

Absolutely. Speekit works seamlessly with other programs or as a standalone product. By using Speekit, you’ll be able to increase vocabulary, strengthen your listening and speaking ability, and find answers to all of your Japanese-related questions.

Can I use Speekit if I am attending Japanese classes or have a tutor?

Yes! Using Speekit will help you get more out of your Japanese class or tutoring sessions.

How do I cancel my Premium Membership?

If you’d like to cancel your Premium membership and downgrade to the Gratis membership, simply contact us using the contact form. We will process your downgrade within 48 hours, but your cancellation will be effective from the date/time you submitted your request.

What are Speekit Qualified Teachers?

Speekit Qualified Teachers are members of the Speekit community who are native Japanese speakers or have teaching credentials or experience. We individually screen all applicants before granting them the title of “Speekit Qualified Teacher.” If you see a blue dot next to a member’s name, you can easily tell that they’re a Speekit Qualified Teacher and have greater confidence in any guidance they provide.

I’d like to become a Speekit Qualified Teacher. How do I apply?

Are you a native Japanese speaker or feel that you are qualified to teach Japanese? To earn the “Speekit Qualified Teacher” designation, please send us your teaching experience and credentials using our contact form. We'll verify your credentials and if accepted we’ll update your account immediately. This is a great way to find students and help Speekit become the best Japanese resource on the web.

Can I use Speekit for my class or private students?

Yes! If you are a teacher and would like to use Speekit in your classroom, please contact us and we will help you set up your class account.

How can I help Speekit grow?

We’re always looking for help with growing Speekit. The best way you can help us is to be active member on the site. Asking questions and replying to other members’ questions will help make Speekit the best online resource for Japanese.

Another great way to help us grow is to tell you friends about us! The more people using the site, the better and more useful it will become.

How do I report abuse on the site?

We rely heavily on you to be vigilant for abuse on the site. If you notice an inappropriate comment or otherwise disruptive behavior, flag it immediately by clicking the "flag" link. We actively track all flagged members and remove problematic individuals and/or comments.

We strongly believe that in order to be the best Japanese learning resource on the web, our site must remain clean. The best way to do this is to ensure that our members' interactions are valuable to everyone.

Why does the site look strange?

Sometimes the layout of the site can get misaligned due to browser incompatibilities. The site works best with the latest versions of Firefox, Safari, and IE8. If you notice something strange, try checking to see that you have the latest version of your browser installed. If you still run into trouble, please let us know so that we can look into it and get the problem fixed as soon as possible.