The language learning game you'll actually play
Noun Town is an award-winning 3D language learning game. Explore a colourful open world, beat vocabulary mini-games, and hold real conversations with its characters using speech recognition. Learn 1,000+ words across 12 languages. Buy once, keep forever, no subscription.
Play the way you like
Step inside the language in VR and Mixed Reality on Meta Quest, or play the full adventure with a screen and controller on PC and Mac. Same town, same 12 languages, your choice of hardware.
Meta Quest & Steam VR
Learn inside a fully immersive virtual world, or bring Noun Town into your own living room in Mixed Reality. The most memorable way to make words stick.
PC & Mac
Prefer a keyboard and screen? Play the whole adventure on Windows or Mac through Steam. No headset needed, all the same learning.
A look inside Noun Town
Every screen is a lesson in disguise. Explore areas, meet characters, and watch colour flood back into the world as your vocabulary grows.
Why Noun Town works
It isn't a flashcard app with a game skin. It's a real game, purpose-built so that playing it teaches you a language.
A world that grows as you learn
Noun Town island begins in greyscale. Every word you master paints the colour back in, so your progress is something you can actually see.
Learn words where they belong
Say "coffee" at the cafe, "plastic bag" at the food store, "goat" on the farm. Vocabulary sticks because you meet each word in context across 11 areas.
Mini-games built to teach
Smash robots to learn numbers, plant flowers to learn colours, drive a bot to learn directions. Every mini-game targets a specific kind of vocabulary.
Speak to 16 characters
Use speech recognition to talk with NPCs voiced by native speakers. Build relationships over time, just like Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley.
Spaced repetition, built in
A science-backed spaced-repetition system, the same idea behind Anki, quizzes you at exactly the right moment, hidden inside the gameplay.
Buy once, keep forever
No subscription, no ads, no timer counting down on your phone. Pay a single time and the whole game, and every language, is yours.
Great for beginners. Noun Town is ideal for building a solid base of vocabulary from scratch. Already advanced? It doubles as a relaxed, enjoyable revision tool.
Learn 12 languages
Choose your language once and the whole town speaks it to you, with native-speaker audio throughout. Japanese even includes furigana and romaji options.
Language learning that feels like a game, not homework
Most language apps ask you to tap flashcards until you get bored, then charge you every month for the privilege. Noun Town takes the opposite approach. It is a real video game, a colourful 3D open world you explore at your own pace, that happens to teach you a language while you play. Because every word is tied to a place, an action and a native-speaker voice, it sticks in a way that endless word lists never manage.
Built for VR, PC and Mac
Play in full virtual reality or mixed reality on Meta Quest, in VR through Steam, or with a normal screen and controller on Windows PC and Mac. Whatever hardware you own, the same living town, the same 1,000+ words, and the same 12 languages are waiting. It is one of the most complete language learning games you can buy, and there is no better way to turn study time into play time.
Who is Noun Town for?
Noun Town is ideal for beginners who want to build a solid base of vocabulary without the grind, and it doubles as a relaxed revision tool for more experienced learners. It is gentle enough to enjoy with family and deep enough to keep coming back to. With a one-time purchase and no ads, there is nothing standing between you and the next word.
Want to try before you buy? Play our free browser mini-games, dive into the free Japanese textbook and per-word dictionary, or browse the in-game lessons. Already own the game? Revise anything you have learnt on your phone, tablet or computer with the free Noun Town Link service.
Not ready to buy? Play free in your browser
Try two quick 3D mini-games with real Japanese, Spanish, French and German audio. No download, no sign-up, straight in your browser.
Frequently asked questions
What languages can I learn in Noun Town?
Twelve: Japanese, Korean, Chinese (Mandarin), Spanish (Spain), Spanish (Mexico), French, German, Italian, Russian, Greek, Egyptian Arabic and English. Every language uses native-speaker audio, and Japanese includes furigana and romaji options.
Do I need a VR headset to play?
No. You can play in VR and Mixed Reality on Meta Quest, but you can also play the full game with a normal screen and controller on Windows PC and Mac through Steam.
Is there a subscription or any ads?
Never. Noun Town is a one-time purchase. Buy it once, keep it forever, with no ads and no monthly fee.
Is Noun Town good for beginners?
Yes. It is designed for beginners building their first 1,000+ words of vocabulary. More advanced learners tend to use it as an enjoyable revision tool rather than a source of brand-new grammar.
Does it work on Mac?
Yes. Noun Town runs on macOS and Windows PC via Steam, as well as on Meta Quest and Steam VR headsets.
How does the game actually teach vocabulary?
You explore a 3D world, play mini-games built around specific word types, and talk to characters using speech recognition. A built-in spaced-repetition system then reviews each word at the right moment so it moves into long-term memory.
Can I practise on my phone, or try it for free?
You can revise everything you have learnt for free on mobile, tablet or PC with the Noun Town Link web service. You can also play our free browser games right now, no purchase required.
Start learning today
Join thousands of players learning a language the fun way. One purchase, twelve languages, yours forever.