About Genba Learn
Genba (現場) means “the actual workplace” — the factory floor, the kitchen, the site. Genba Learn teaches the language people really use there, so foreign workers can understand instructions, stay safe, and speak up when something is unclear.
Who makes it
I'm Wilberforce (Will) Osei, from Ghana. I've lived in Japan for over ten years and worked as a forklift operator, machine operator, chef, driver and assistant English teacher. I built Genba Learn because I needed it myself: textbooks taught me polite Japanese, but at work people said これ持ってって and まだ触んないで.
Three apps, one method
Shift Nihongo (Japan), Shift Korean (Korea) and Shift Deutsch (Germany) use the same Week 1 situations, with explanations in English, Tiếng Việt, Bahasa Indonesia, 中文, မြန်မာ, नेपाली and Tagalog.
What makes it different
- Workplace speech, not just textbook speech. Every phrase comes in three layers: textbook, how coworkers say it, and how it sounds fast on a busy floor.
- Do, then answer. Missions check that you take the right action, not only that you know the words.
- Speaking up is part of the course. “I don't understand”, “slower please” and “something is wrong” are trained from Day 1.
- Free, offline, no sign-up. Your progress stays on your phone.
Honest limits
Genba Learn is language help, not safety training. Always follow your workplace's safety rules. The voices are currently computer-generated (VOICEVOX for Japanese, Mimic 3 for Korean, Piper for German); native-speaker recordings are being added. Explanations in Vietnamese, Indonesian, Chinese, Burmese, Nepali and Tagalog are a first draft and are being reviewed.
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