Learn hiragana and katakana
22 guides. Follow the steps in order. Hiragana and katakana sit side by side at each step, so you can do one and then the other.
- 1Hiragana flashcards →
Get started here
Where to begin: what hiragana and katakana are for, the Japanese basics, and how the JLPT works.
Good to know
2 guidesJapanese BasicsLearn Japanese basics with simple tables: question words, greetings, numbers, days of the week, months and everyday words, with romaji and readings.Hiragana vs KatakanaWhat hiragana and katakana are each for, how to tell them apart, the pairs that look alike, and why to learn hiragana first with flashcards. - 2Kana flashcards →
Learn the kana
Day-by-day plans for all 46 hiragana and 46 katakana, the characters people mix up, and how to type them.
Hiragana
5 guides7-Day Hiragana PlanA simple 7-day plan to learn all 46 hiragana with flashcards: what to study each day, how to review, and tips that make every character stick.Hiragana Look-AlikesTell さ from ち and ぬ from め: the hiragana look-alikes that trip up beginners, the detail that separates each pair, and how to drill them.Dakuten & CombinationsHow the little dots turn か into が, when to write ぢ and づ, and how a small ゃ makes きゃ. Charts with audio and a plan for your flashcards.Typing HiraganaType hiragana on any phone or computer: turning on Japanese input, the keys that trip people up like nn and wo, and how flashcards help you type.Flashcard GamesEight games to play with printable hiragana flashcards, for a class, a family or on your own: karuta, pairs, bingo and more, with rules for each.Katakana
3 guides5-Day Katakana PlanKnow hiragana? Learn katakana in five days with flashcards: what carries over, what's new, a day-by-day plan and loanwords to read.Katakana Look-AlikesTell シ from ツ and ソ from ン: the katakana look-alikes, the katakana that look like kanji, and how to drill each pair with flashcards.Typing KatakanaType katakana on any device: converting from hiragana, the long dash, and the keys for ティ, ディ and ウォ, with audio for every example. - 3Hiragana words flashcards →
Read real words
The spelling rules beginners miss, like small っ (tsu) and long vowels, then graded reading practice and a test.
Hiragana
3 guidesHiragana Spelling RulesThree hiragana spelling rules beginners miss: small っ, long vowels and the particles は, へ and を. Plain explanations with audio for every example.Hiragana Reading PracticeWords you can read after each row of hiragana, then 40 everyday words in four levels with audio and quizzes. Reading practice to pair with flashcards.Hiragana TestThree quick hiragana quizzes, from the basic 46 to dakuten and spelling rules, with a guide for anything you miss.Katakana
3 guidesKatakana ー & ッWhat the katakana dash and small ッ do, why -er words end in アー, and pairs where one mark changes the word, with audio for every example.Katakana Reading PracticeLoanwords you can already read, grouped by topic, then 40 more in four levels with audio and quizzes. Reading practice to pair with flashcards.Katakana TestThree quick katakana quizzes, from the basic 46 to extended sounds and loanwords, with a guide for anything you miss. - 4Katakana words flashcards →
Beyond the basics
How English turns into katakana, extended sounds like ファ (fa), English made in Japan, and writing your name.
Katakana
4 guidesEnglish to KatakanaSeven patterns that turn English words into katakana, so you can sound out loanwords and work out the English, with audio for every example.Extended KatakanaHow katakana writes sounds like fa, ti and v: the official list of extended sounds with audio, real words for each, and spellings that vary.Katakana Words ExplainedWhy some words are in katakana, the English made in Japan like サラリーマン, and clipped words like パソコン, with audio for every word.Your Name in KatakanaWrite your name in katakana: go by sound, add vowels, use the dash for long vowels and ・ between names. Worked examples with audio.