So to Speak

So to Speak is a Japanese-learning game built around discovering meanings from context. You examine what you see and hear, then connect each unfamiliar word to nearby objects or text with the same meaning. For example, you might drag a Japanese sign for “entrance” onto a building entrance or onto the English word “entrance” in the game’s description. Meanings are not revealed immediately; each word is a puzzle you solve to make progress.

Explore and decipher

The game unfolds through situations in cities, rural areas, gardens and temples. You look for clues among signs and conversations, and build your understanding from simple words such as “car” and “tree” to complex sentences such as “The parking lot is for convenience store customers only.”

Japanese vocabulary

You learn more than 650 words across topics including travel, nature, family, colors, numbers, time and directions. The game focuses on wandering and discovering meanings, with no drills, fights, minigames or other distractions.