Learn hiragana

Characters and words in each lesson

How to learn hiragana with these lessons

1. Meet. Look at the handwriting shapes, read their labels and use an optional memory hook.
2. Check. Recall a few characters out of order. A miss returns once for a retry; first answers and retries are counted separately.
3. Read. Connect the characters in three words. The regular lessons only use basic characters introduced so far.
4. Come back. Revisit misses, practice the same set in a different task, then add a row when ready.

Questions about learning hiragana

How long does it take to learn hiragana?

There is no fixed time. These ten lessons introduce three to five characters each. Return to earlier rows until you can read them without help; recognizing a shape once is not the same as retaining it.

How many hiragana should I learn a day?

Start with one small row or fewer characters. Add more when you can recall the current set and read its words. You can open any lesson and revisit it without a gate.

Should I learn hiragana or katakana first?

This path starts with hiragana because the beginner examples here use it. You will need both kana scripts; katakana uses the same basic sounds with different shapes.

How can I remember hiragana?

Look at the numbered handwriting model, use a short memory hook if it helps, then hide the reading and recall it. Compare look-alikes together. Drop the hook when the character is familiar.

Where can I learn hiragana for free?

These lessons, the chart and the practice activities here are free. Start with a row, then use character practice and the reading word list to check it in a different task.

What should I learn after hiragana?

Learn marked forms, small kana, long vowels and particle spellings, then katakana. Use beginner words and sentences so that recognizing individual characters connects to reading.

How do I pronounce hiragana?

Romaji labels are spelling aids. These written checks do not teach or assess listening or pronunciation. Generated audio is available in the listening section. Listening does not assess pronunciation.

Can children use songs to learn hiragana?

A song can help rehearse the order, but it does not check whether a child recognizes a character out of order. Use short sessions and visible models, then a few shuffled checks with adult support. No song or recording is supplied here.

Character recall practice · Longer reading practice · Paper practice

After the 46: marks, small kana and long vowels

Voiced and p sounds

Add ゛ for voiced rows such as が, and ゜ for the p row such as ぱ. See the marked characters.

Small ゃ, ゅ and ょ

きゃ is kya, a joined reading; full-sized きや is kiya.

Small っ

きって reads kitte: small っ holds the following consonant for an extra beat.

Long vowels

Keep both written vowels in おおきい (ookii) and とうふ (toufu). These spelling labels do not replace listening.

Particle spellings

Topic は reads wa, direction へ reads e and object を reads o. Read the marked forms and small-kana reference, then compare katakana.