How to Type Hiragana: A Hiragana Flashcards Guide
Type 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.
Want to type in Japanese? You don't need a special keyboard. You type the sounds in normal letters and hiragana appears as you go, and the habit you build with hiragana flashcards makes it feel natural.
This guide shows you how to turn it on, which keys trip people up, and how typing practice helps you remember the characters.
How Does Typing Hiragana Work?
Japanese input uses romaji, the English-letter spelling of Japanese sounds. Type sushi and you get すし (sushi). Type neko and you get ねこ (neko, cat).
The hiragana appears underlined while you type. Press Enter to keep it as hiragana, or Space to see kanji suggestions.
How Do You Turn On Japanese Input?
Each system is a little different, and the menus change between versions, so follow your device's own guide.
- iPhone and iPad: add a Japanese keyboard and choose Romaji. Apple's guide: Add or change keyboards on iPhone.
- Mac: add the Japanese Romaji input source in your Keyboard settings.
- Windows: add Japanese as a language. Microsoft's guide: Microsoft Japanese IME.
- Android: add Japanese in your keyboard app's language settings.
What about typing on a phone?
Phones usually offer two Japanese keyboards. The Romaji keyboard works exactly like a computer: you type the sounds in English letters. The Kana keyboard shows the hiragana themselves, and you flick across each key to choose a character from that row.
Start with Romaji, because it uses the same spellings you learn with flashcards. Many Japanese people use the Kana keyboard on their phones, so it's worth trying once you know the chart well.
Which Keys Trip People Up?
Most characters are typed exactly as they sound. These are the ones that aren't. Press play to hear each example.
| To get | Type | Example | Keys |
|---|---|---|---|
| ん (n) | nn | きんえん (kin'en, no smoking) | kinnenn |
| っ (tsu) before a consonant | Double the next letter | きって (kitte, stamp) | kitte |
| っ (tsu) on its own | xtu or ltu | xtu | |
| きゃ (kya), しゅ (shu), ちょ (cho) | Type the sound | しゃしん (shashin, photo) | shashinn |
| Small ゃ (ya) on its own | xya or lya | xya | |
| ぢ (ji) and づ (zu) | di and du | はなぢ (hanaji, nosebleed) | hanadi |
| を (o) | wo | ほんをよむ (hon o yomu, to read a book) | honnwoyomu |
Why does ん (n) cause so much trouble?
Because n followed by a vowel makes a different character. Type kinen and you get きねん (kinen), not きんえん (kin'en). Typing nn for every ん (n) always works.
The same goes for ほんや (hon'ya, bookshop). honya gives ほにゃ (honya), so type honnya.
Can you type some sounds two ways?
Yes. Japanese input accepts both common romaji systems, so use whichever you learned.
| Character | Type |
|---|---|
| し (shi) | shi or si |
| ち (chi) | chi or ti |
| つ (tsu) | tsu or tu |
| ふ (fu) | fu or hu |
| じ (ji) | ji or zi |
How do you get kanji and katakana?
Type the word in romaji, then press Space. Your device suggests ways to write it, usually with kanji first. Keep pressing Space to see more choices, then Enter to pick one.
Words borrowed from English, like テレビ (terebi, TV), often appear in katakana among the suggestions. There's a full guide in Typing Katakana.
How Do Hiragana Flashcards Help You Type?
The hiragana flashcards on JLPTCARDS.com are a typing quiz. You see a character and type its romaji. That's the same skill as Japanese input, in reverse.
Characters you get wrong keep coming back until you get them right, and your accuracy is tracked. So typing practice and character practice happen together.
One difference to know: the flashcards ask for the sound, so ぢ (ji) is ji there. A keyboard needs di to tell it apart from じ (ji).
- Turn on Japanese input on your phone or computer.
- Type the five vowels: a, i, u, e, o.
- Type your way through one row a day, saying each sound.
- Practise the tricky keys: nn, double letters, wo.
- Run a round of the hiragana flashcards to test yourself.
- Type the words in the deck below, then check the back of each card.
What Should You Type First?
Start with greetings you already know. They use everyday sounds, and a couple of them include the tricky keys. Play each one, then type it.
| Word | Meaning | Keys |
|---|---|---|
| おはよう (ohayou) | good morning | ohayou |
| こんにちは (konnichiwa) | hello | konnnichiha (nn, then ha for the particle は) |
| ありがとう (arigatou) | thank you | arigatou |
| すみません (sumimasen) | excuse me, sorry | sumimasenn |
| またね (mata ne) | see you | matane |
Notice こんにちは (konnichiwa). It ends in the particle は (wa), so you type ha on the keyboard, even though you say wa out loud. Typing it a few times is a good way to remember the rule.
How Long Until Typing Feels Natural?
If you already know the hiragana, typing feels comfortable within a few days of regular use. The basic sounds are typed just as you'd spell them.
The tricky keys take a little longer. The fastest way to learn them is to use them: message a friend, take notes in Japanese, or type the words you're learning. Every time you type nn or a doubled letter, it gets more automatic.
What Mistakes Do Beginners Make?
- A single n before a vowel. Always type nn for ん (n).
- Typing tsu for a small っ (tsu). Double the next letter instead: kitte, not kitsute.
- Typing o for the particle を (wo). That gives お (o). Type wo.
- Pressing Space by habit. Space converts to kanji. Press Enter if you want hiragana.
What Comes Next?
- Learn why small っ (tsu) and を (wo) work the way they do: Hiragana Spelling Rules.
- Learn the combinations you'll type all the time, like しゃ (sha): Combinations.
- Type katakana too, with a couple of extra keys: Typing Katakana.
Where Can You Practise for Free?
The hiragana flashcards are free for the 46 basic characters and the dakuten sets, with audio for every character. For longer typing practice, the Hiragana Words flashcards give you whole words to sound out.
Practise Typing These Words
The back of each card shows what to type. Open a notes app with Japanese input on and type each word before you flip.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a Japanese keyboard to type hiragana?
No. Your normal keyboard works. Turn on Japanese input, type the romaji, and hiragana appears as you go.
How do I type ん (n)?
Type nn. A single n followed by a vowel turns into な (na), に (ni) and so on, so nn is the safe choice.
How do I type a small っ (tsu)?
Double the next consonant: kitte gives きって (kitte). On its own, type xtu or ltu.
How do I type を (wo)?
Type wo. You still say it o, but wo is how the keyboard tells it apart from お (o).
How do I get kanji instead of hiragana?
Press Space after typing and your device suggests kanji. Press Enter to keep it as hiragana.
Does typing help me learn hiragana?
Yes. Typing the romaji for each character is a quick way to test yourself, which is how the typing quiz in the hiragana flashcards works.
Start Typing Today
Typing hiragana takes about ten minutes to set up and a few days to feel natural. Pair it with hiragana flashcards and you'll be recognising and typing every character in no time.
Open the free hiragana flashcards on JLPTCARDS.com and start with the あ (a) row.
References
- Apple, Japanese Input Method User Guide for Mac: Roman characters and corresponding kana. https://support.apple.com/guide/japanese-input-method/jpim10277/mac
- Microsoft Support, Microsoft Japanese IME. https://support.microsoft.com/windows/microsoft-japanese-ime-da40471d-6b91-4042-ae8b-713a96476916