Understand real Japanese
through your ears -
with podcast dictation.
Free forever. 1,000+ learners building their Japanese listening every day.
Japanese sounds fascinating.
Understanding it is the real challenge.
You memorized hiragana, drilled kanji, and passed grammar quizzes. Then a native speaker talks at normal speed and you catch maybe one word in ten. The problem is not your knowledge - it is how your brain processes spoken Japanese.
I studied Japanese for four years in college but could never follow a real conversation. After two months of daily dictation on WELE, I watched an NHK documentary without subtitles and understood most of it. That was a breakthrough moment.
One simple method, backed by
100 years of research.(it works!)
Dictation has been a proven language teaching method for over a century. It works because it forces your brain to process every mora and particle - bridging the gap between reading Japanese and hearing Japanese.
Listen - the full clip
Pick a Japanese podcast at your level: NHK World Easy Japanese, JapanesePod101, or Nihongo con Teppei. Listen to the full 3-6 minute segment to grasp the overall meaning.
Transcribe sentence by sentence
Replay short segments. Type exactly what you hear in romaji or kana. No blanks to fill - you write every word. WELE compares your transcription to the original in real time.
Review - and understand
See which words you missed and why. WELE analyzes your errors, saves new vocabulary, and schedules spaced-repetition reviews using the FSRS algorithm.
Learners using dictation for 20 minutes daily over 8 weeks improved listening comprehension by an average of 42% compared to the passive-listening control group.
A tool refined over
2 years and 30,000 dictations.
Every button, every shortcut, every feedback loop has been tuned based on real learner behavior. Built for people who want to actually understand Japanese - not just study it.
Kyou no nyuusu: keizai to seikatsu
Everything you need to
truly improve.
Not just a place to listen - WELE is a complete ecosystem that supports you from your first dictation to understanding NHK News without subtitles.
Custom speed, smart hints, precise segmentation
0.5x for beginners · 1.25x when ready · keyboard shortcuts for every action · word-level hints when stuck · instant comparison with the original.
400+ podcasts from NHK, JapanesePod101, Teppei & more
New episodes added weekly. Every level, every interest.
Vocabulary review, the scientific way
The FSRS algorithm (same engine as Anki) calculates exactly when to review each word before you forget it.
Listen on the train. Transcribe at the cafe.
Fully responsive web app - works great on your phone, tablet, or laptop. No download needed.
Community of 1,000+ learners
Discord server and Reddit community always active.
Smart analytics
Personal dashboard tracking your progress over time.
Weekly challenges
Community leaderboard. 7-day, 30-day, and 100-day streaks.
1,000 learners can not be wrong -
here are some of their stories.you will want to start right away
“I passed JLPT N3 but could never follow a real conversation. After 8 weeks of daily dictation on WELE, I understood an entire episode of Terrace House without subtitles. I literally cried.
The dictation method forced me to actually hear particles like wa, ga, and wo. My Japanese tutor said my listening improved more in two months than in the previous year.
I watch NHK News every morning now. Six months ago I could barely follow NHK Easy. WELE trained my ear in ways flashcards never could.
The FSRS vocabulary review is a game-changer. I retain words I used to forget within days. Combined with WaniKani for kanji, my Japanese has never been stronger.
Started with zero listening ability despite two years of textbook study. After 6 months on WELE, I comfortably follow Nihongo con Teppei at full speed. The progress tracker kept me going.
As someone preparing for JLPT N2, the listening section was always my weakest. WELE filled that gap perfectly. Real content, real speed, real improvement.
Free forever.
Premium only when you are ready.no tricks, no traps
No misleading "freemium" limits. The free plan has everything you need to build a daily dictation habit and improve. Premium adds AI tools and the full content library.
Everything you need to build a daily listening habit and make real progress.
- ✓Unlimited dictation on web
- ✓New podcasts added weekly (NHK, JapanesePod101, Teppei & more)
- ✓Personal dashboard & achievement tracking
- ✓Community challenges & leaderboard
- ✓Access to free courses
- ✓Community of 1,000+ Japanese learners
Everything in Free, plus AI-powered tools and the full Premium library.
- ✓All Free features included
- ✓Mobile-friendly web app - practice on any devicePREMIUM
- ✓Smart Review FSRS - automatic vocabulary reviewAI
- ✓Language Logic - sentence structure analysisAI
- ✓AI Speaking 30 min/monthAI
- ✓Full Premium library (courses, playlists)
- ✓Create 5 custom podcasts / month
- ✓Private support group for members
- ✓Free access to all future features
Questions?
Here are the answers.
Do I need to know hiragana and katakana to start?
+How does dictation help with Japanese specifically?
+How long until I can understand Japanese podcasts?
+Is WELE really free?
+Can I use WELE alongside other Japanese courses?
+What types of Japanese content are available?
+Can I cancel Premium anytime?
+Ready to start today?
3 minutes to sign up. One dictation to begin.
Every day you postpone is a day your brain does not get used to Japanese sounds. You have waited long enough.
Start free today