Unlock Japanese: Your Fast Track to Learn Hiragana

Learning hiragana is not just the first step in your Japanese journey; it’s the very foundation upon which everything else is built. Mastering hiragana opens up a world of Japanese learning resources, from textbooks to online materials, and fundamentally grounds you in Japanese pronunciation. Simply put, if you’re serious about learning Japanese, learning hiragana is non-negotiable.

Many learners and even some courses spend months grappling with hiragana. This is unnecessarily long. You can, and should, learn all of hiragana in just a few days, a week at most. Some have even reported being able to read all hiragana within hours using effective methods. The exact timeline depends on your dedication, but by following the steps outlined below, you will confidently read hiragana in a remarkably short time.

To make this rapid learning possible, we will leverage several key techniques:

Mnemonics: Hiragana, being relatively straightforward compared to kanji, is perfectly suited for image-based mnemonics. Each hiragana character is associated with a memorable illustration, making recall significantly easier. If you’re skeptical about mnemonics, we urge you to try this method with an open mind. You’ll be amazed at how effectively you can memorize using visual associations.
Reading Focus (No Writing Initially): “No writing?!” you might exclaim. Consider this: in our modern world, how often do you actually handwrite something? Most written communication today is digital. Learning to read hiragana is immediately beneficial and achievable quickly. Focusing on writing from the start can double or triple the learning time with minimal initial practical benefit. Writing is important eventually, but for now, reading proficiency is the priority.
Targeted Exercises: Following each hiragana column, you’ll find exercises designed to reinforce what you’ve just learned. These exercises are carefully structured for effective review. By diligently completing them without shortcuts, you will solidify your hiragana knowledge. Crucially, in these exercises, push yourself to actively recall the characters, even when unsure. The effort you invest in recalling information significantly strengthens memory retention, as long as you ultimately succeed in recalling it.

By adhering to this comprehensive guide and completing all exercises, learning hiragana will not only be achievable, but almost inevitable.

Tofugu’s Learn Hiragana Book: Your Companion Guide

For those who prefer a tangible learning tool, we offer a Learn Hiragana Book – a printable PDF version of this guide, perfect for use on tablets or for those who enjoy a physical copy.

While we still advocate for prioritizing reading hiragana first, incorporating handwriting practice, such as tracing characters, can deepen the association between the shape and sound of each character.

If hands-on practice resonates with your learning style, or if you simply prefer analogue learning, explore our book. It includes additional handwriting exercises to enhance your learning experience.

Essential Hiragana Charts by Tofugu

Begin by downloading this hiragana chart. This comprehensive chart displays all hiragana, including variations, that you will learn in this guide. Print it out if you have a printer, or use it digitally as you follow along.

Optionally, enhance your learning with the hiragana mnemonics chart. This chart pairs basic hiragana with their mnemonic images, which we will use throughout this guide to aid memorization. It’s a practical tool to keep handy, perhaps even replacing that generic motivational poster in your study space.

Mastering Hiragana Pronunciation

Next, it’s crucial to learn correct hiragana pronunciation. Since pronunciation involves listening and speaking, we’ve created a video to guide you. Watch and practice along to ensure you’re pronouncing each sound accurately.

Once you are comfortable pronouncing the five core “vowel sounds” of hiragana, proceed to the next section to begin reading them.

あ（A）い（I）う（U）え（E）お（O）: The Foundation Column

This initial column is paramount in hiragana. It establishes the pronunciation framework for every subsequent column. Each following column essentially builds upon this a-i-u-e-o foundation by adding consonants. The core vowel sounds repeat throughout hiragana, combined with different consonants. Therefore, mastering the pronunciation of these five vowels right from the outset is essential.

Shall we begin? Absolutely, please, after you.

あ is pronounced as “ah,” like when you have a sudden realization. It also sounds like the “a” in “car.”

To remember あ, notice the capital letter A subtly embedded within the character. This “A” serves as a direct reminder that this hiragana represents the “a” sound. While there is another similar character, お, it lacks this distinct “A” shape, helping you differentiate between the two.

い is pronounced like “ee” in “eel.”

Visualize a pair of eels standing upright. Their posture mimics the letter “i,” which is also upright and corresponds to the romaji spelling of this character.

う is pronounced like “oo” in “ooh… ahhh!” as you watch fireworks. It’s similar to the “u” in “UNO,” the card game, or the Spanish word for “one.”

Observe the distinct U shape within う, albeit sideways. This “U” is your visual cue for the “u” sound. Be careful not to confuse it with つ, which lacks the “hat” or top stroke that う (you) wears. Ooh, ahh, what a nifty hat!

え is pronounced like the “e” in “egg.”

Imagine an exotic bird. The elaborate feather on its head marks it as exotic, not ordinary. It also lays exotic eggs, befitting its exotic nature.

お is pronounced like “oh.” It also sounds like the “o” in “origami.”

Can you spot the letter o twice within お? This character resembles あ, but a key differentiator is the double “o” shapes. Use this visual mnemonic to distinguish お from the similar-looking あ. This distinction is often tricky for learners, but this mnemonic will help you identify them correctly every time.

あいうえお Tasks

Now that you have introduced these kana to your memory, it’s time to actively recall them. Recall is the cornerstone of memory consolidation. Follow each “tasks” section meticulously. Skipping these steps can hinder your progress later. Building a strong foundation in each section is crucial.

か（KA）き（KI）く（KU）け（KE）こ（KO）: The K-Column

Our next set of hiragana is the “k-column.” This column combines the K sound with the vowel sounds you’ve just learned, resulting in ka-ki-ku-ke-ko. This column is straightforward with no pronunciation exceptions, so enjoy this simplicity while it lasts.

か combines the K sound with あ, making the ka sound. It’s pronounced like “ka” in “karma.”

Notice how か visually resembles a mosquito? Conveniently, mosquitos are called か (ka) in Japanese. Remember the phrase “cut it out, darn mosquito!” when they try to bite you – this should make it easy to recall.

き combines the K sound with い, creating the ki sound.

It sounds exactly like the word “key,” which serves as our mnemonic.

To remember き, note its resemblance to a key.

Note: In some fonts, the lower part of き might be detached from the main section, like: き. The pronunciation remains “ki”!

く combines the K sound with う, forming the ku sound. Pronounce it like “coo,” as in the sound a cuckoo bird makes.

Imagine く as the beak of a coo-coo / cuckoo bird, popping out and saying “ku ku, ku ku!”

け combines the K sound with え, resulting in the ke sound. It’s pronounced like “ke” in “kelp.”

See how け looks like wiggly kelp floating in the water?

こ combines the K sound with お, making the ko sound. Pronounce it like “co” in “cohabitating.”

こ represents a pair of co-habitation worms, happily sharing the same space! Alternatively, picture two short cords lying side-by-side.

かきくけこ Tasks

More practice tasks! This time, we’ll review the あいうえお column along with the “K-column” you just learned.

Again, when you get stuck, first try to recall the mnemonic before looking at the answer. Once you’re done, you can proceed to the next group.

さ（SA）し（SHI）す（SU）せ（SE）そ（SO）: The S-Column

With the “K-column” mastered, it’s time for the “S-column.” This column has one exception: “si” becomes “shi.” Pronounce し just like “she” in English. So, for this column, it’s “sa-shi-su-se-so.”

さ combines the S sound with あ, creating the sa sound. It’s pronounced like “sa” in “salsa.”

Notice how さ looks like two hands stirring a bowl of chunky salsa. It’s so thick, it needs two hands to stir!

Note: Like き, the lower part of さ might detach from the main section in some fonts, like: さ.

し combines the SH sound with い, making the shi sound. It’s pronounced like “shee” in “sheep.”

Note that this is the first exception where it doesn’t follow the typical pattern. Instead of “si,” it’s “shi.” (You might still see “si” in romaji, another reason to Learn Hiragana!).

し resembles a giant shepherd’s crook used to herd sheep. Baaaa… get in that corral, sheep!

す combines the S sound with う, forming the su sound. It’s pronounced like the word “sue” or “su” in “suit.”

See the swing doing a loop-de-loop, throwing a kid off? Imagine him yelling “I’M GONNA SUE SOMEBODY FOR THIIIIIiiiissss” as he flies away.

せ combines the S sound with え, making the se sound. It’s pronounced like “se” in “sell.”

せ looks like a mouth with a vampire fang. Someone’s trying to sell you a set of vampire teeth because they are so sexy! Oh Dracula, always trying to make a quick buck.

そ combines the S sound with お, creating the so sound. It’s pronounced like “so” in “soda.”

See how そ looks like a mouth slurping soda?

さしすせそ Exercises

Now that we’ve completed three sets of five, it’s time for exercises! These will help you practice previously learned kana and the new ones.

After successfully completing these two tasks, move on to the next five kana.

P.S. Notice how the worksheets ask you to wait 5 minutes, then 10 minutes? Waiting is crucial for memory consolidation. By waiting and then recalling something as it fades, you signal to your brain to prioritize that information. Repeatedly reviewing in short intervals only keeps it in short-term memory, hindering long-term retention. Don’t skip the waiting periods! Longer waits, if you can manage without forgetting, are even more beneficial!

た（TA）ち（CHI）つ（TSU）て（TE）と（TO）: The T-Column

Time for the fourth column, the “T-column.” You now have a significant amount to remember! Hopefully, mnemonics and their effectiveness are becoming clear. If not, it will soon.

Like the S-column, the T-column has exceptions: ち (chi) and つ (tsu). So, this column is “ta, chi, tsu, te, to.”

た combines the T sound with あ, resulting in the ta sound. It’s pronounced like “ta” in “taco.”

Imagine た as a fork, taco, and lime garnish for your taco. Eating a taco with a fork? Maybe a bit unusual, but whatever works for you.

ち combines the CH sound with い, making the chi sound. Pronounce it like “chee” in “cheese.”

This is the second exception. Instead of “ti,” it’s “chi.” Remember this difference.

When someone says “cheese” for a photo, ち looks like that forced smile you make for group photos.

つ combines the TS sound with う, creating the tsu sound. It’s pronounced like “tsu” in “tsunami.”

This is another exception. Instead of “tu,” it’s “tsu.”

Look at the swoosh of つ. Doesn’t it resemble a big wave, a tsunami?

て combines the T sound with え, making the te sound. It’s pronounced like “te” in “telescope.”

Can you see a telescope? A handheld one! In Japanese, “hand” is て (te). This helps remember that て looks like an old-school hand(te)-held telescope.

と combines the T sound with お, making the to sound. It’s pronounced like “to” in “toe.”

と looks just like a toe with a splinter or nail in it. Imagine the pain if it were your toe!

たちつてと Exercises

Now with more kana under our belt, we’ll add a third resource to our practice. We’ll start familiar, just follow along.

Once you complete everything and confidently recall all 20 kana, move to the next section. Now, try ten at a time. You’re improving!

な（NA）に（NI）ぬ（NU）ね（NE）の（NO）: The N-Column

This is your first group with more than five new items – ten in total! But you’re progressing well and becoming adept at learning hiragana. It’s a shame there aren’t 150 hiragana to master with all this practice.

な combines the N sound with あ, making the na sound. It’s pronounced like “na” in “nachos.”

A nun is praying before a cross, asking for nachos because she’s craving a snack. The cross above is the key to remembering な.

に combines the N sound with い, making the ni sound. It’s pronounced like “nee” in “needle.”

Do you see the needle pulling thread?

ぬ combines the N sound with う, making the nu sound. It’s pronounced like “noo” in “noodle.”

ぬ looks like noodles. Several kana are similar (れ, め, ね, わ), but ぬ is distinct because it lacks sharp angles. It’s entirely smooth and bendable, like noodles! It even has an extra loop at the bottom, like a noodle strand.

ね combines the N sound with え, making the ne sound. It’s pronounced like “ne” in “Nelly.”

This is Nelly the cat. Similar kana exist (ぬ, れ, め, わ), but ね is different. Why? The loop at the end is her tail, and it’s not as bendable as ぬ (noodles) – note the sharp corners on the left.

Nelly is also a necromancer. Why? No idea, ask her. Maybe it’s related to her undead cat army.

If you know neko (Japanese for “cat”), use that too. This is a ねこ.

の combines the N sound with お, making the no sound. It’s pronounced like “no” in “nose” or “nori.”

See the big pig nose? Or think of a “No Smoking” sign (cigarette with a red circle and slash). Choose the image that sticks best.

は（HA）ひ（HI）ふ（HU/FU）へ（HE）ほ（HO）: The H-Column

Let’s examine the next five. If you feel shaky, use Tofugu’s Learn Hiragana Quiz to practice, but not necessary yet!

は combines the H sound with あ, making the ha sound. It’s pronounced like “ha” in “haha” (laughing!).

は resembles an uppercase H and lowercase a.

What does that spell? “Ha!”

Why are you laughing? Stop that. Make sure you see the H + a in は.

ひ combines the H sound with い, making the hi sound. Like the English pronoun “he,” it sounds like “he” in “heat.”

He has a big nose. See it? Say aloud: “He has a big nose.”

ふ is between F and H sounds, plus う, making fu / hu. Pronounced like a soft “foo” in “fool,” or “hoo” in “hoop.”

Someone is dancing like a fool. What’s around their neck? A hula hoop! That’s why they’re twisting so hard.

へ combines the H sound with え, making the he sound. Pronounced like “he” in “help” or “Helens.”

Know Mt. Saint Helens? へ isn’t flat like Helens, but it’s squat. That’s why it’s Helens.

ほ combines the H sound with お, making the ho sound. Pronounced like “ho” in “hoe” or “ho ho ho!”

The left line is a chimney. The right side is a mutated Santa. Four arms, snake tail, no head. From his neck: “ho ho ho… ho ho ho…“

Hope he doesn’t come down your chimney.

なにぬねのはひふへほ Exercises

Practice ten at a time! It’s a lot, but you’re getting better, right?

After these exercises, move to the next hiragana set.

ま（MA）み（MI）む（MU）め（ME）も（MO）: The M-Column

Not quite ten this set, but close. Let’s start the “M-column.”

ま combines the M sound with あ, making the ma sound. Pronounced like “ma” (mother), like “ma” in “mark.”

Headless? Doubled hands and arms? What magic is this? Weirder because your mama is doing the magic. Imagine your ma like this. Aghh!

み combines the M sound with い, making the mi sound. Pronounced like “me,” like “mee” in “meet.”

Looks like lucky 21. Blackjack winner? Me! Turned 21? Me!!

む combines the M sound with う, making the mu sound. Like cows “moo.” Sounds like “moo” in “mood.”

“Moooooo“, says the cow. “MOOOOOOO.”

め combines the M sound with え, making the me sound. Pronounced like “me” in “mess.”

Look at that eye! Beautiful because of makeup. Gotta look pretty-eyed, or your ensemble is “meh.”

“Eye” in Japanese is め (me). That helps too.

も combines the M sound with お, making the mo sound. Pronounced like “mo” in “more.”

Want to catch more fish? Add more worms to your hook.

や（YA）ゆ（YU）よ（YO）: The Y-Column

This column is unusual. Only three items, “ye” and “yi” missing. They existed but are now replaced by い or え as they sounded similar. So, only three to learn!

や combines the Y sound with あ, making the ya sound. Pronounced like “ya” in “yacht.”

や looks like a yacht with an anchor down. Even a cute little flag on the rear.

Or, や as a yak face.

ゆ combines the Y sound with う, making the yu sound. Pronounced like “you.”

ゆ is a unique fish! A big eyeball swimming. Looking at? You, goofball! Fish always look like they’re staring.

よ combines the Y sound with お, making the yo sound. Pronounced like “yo” in “yo-yo.”

“Yo, よ looks like Y & O! Play yo-yo with it. Watch it slide down, back up… mesmerizing, yo.”

まみむめもやゆよ Exercises

Practice these eight hiragana (and previous ones). Ensure you know everything well!

When done, tackle the last “main hiragana” section. Almost there! Not so hard, right?

ら（RA）り（RI）る（RU）れ（RE）ろ（RO）: The R-Column

Welcome to the last main set! Eight characters, like the last. Includes ra-ri-ru-re-ro, which some find pronunciation-tricky. See our “how to pronounce the Japanese R” guide for more info.

ら is R/L sound plus あ, making ra/la. Pronounced like “rah rah” (cheering) and “la la la” (singing!). Romaji “r” for typing/writing “ra,” and the rest of the R column.

ら looks like a left-facing, standing rabbit. Look at its droopy ears. Cute!

り is R/L sound plus い, making ri/li. Pronounced like “ree” in “reed” and “lee” in “leek.”

Reeds swaying in the wind.

り can be written without the middle connection, more reed-like. We show the harder version here.

る is R/L sound plus う, making ru/lu. Pronounced like “ru” in “rule” or “route” and “loo” in “loop.”

る is like ろ (next), but with a loop at the end. る is a crazier route. A loop at the end. No rules on this road?

れ is R/L sound plus え, making re/le. Pronounced like “re” in “retch” and “le” in “led.”

Looks like a kneeling guy, retching up dinner.

れ is similar to め, わ, ぬ, ね. れ is distinct by the back curve – his bent knees, keeled over retching.

ろ is R/L sound plus お, making ro/lo. Pronounced like “ro” in “road” and “lo” in “load.”

Counterpart to る, but no loop. ろ is just a plain road.

わ（WA）を（WO）ん（N）: The W and N Sounds

Finally, the last group. A weird one: わ (normal), を (pronounced like お, mostly particle), and ん (consonant-only). Let’s go through them.

わ combines the W sound with あ, making the wa sound. Pronounced like “wa” in “wasabi.”

わ looks like a wasp flying straight up.

Similar to れ, ぬ, ね, め. Especially like ね. ね is Nelly the cat with a tail curl. Cat chasing this wasp, so it flies straight up to escape. Straight, sharp butt – its stinger!

を is pronounced like “o” in “origami” – just like お. Used to be “wo,” now sounds like お. Why two “o” kana? を is mainly a grammar particle, marking sentence objects.

Romaji “o” or “wo” for を. Type “wo.”

“Whoa!” yells the chinless guy. Boomerang in his mouth! Pretty “whoa“-worthy.

ん is just the N sound, only consonant kana. Pronounced like “n” in “pen.”

Romaji “n.” Type “nn” sometimes, especially before vowels and y, to avoid other n-kana.

ん looks like lowercase English n. Same sound. Convenient! nnnんんん.

らりるれろわをん Exercises

Last main hiragana. Exercises cover much (you know a lot!), so ensure understanding before moving on.

That finishes main hiragana. Next are kana combinations or variations on what you know, easier and harder. Let’s start “variation hiragana,” aka…

Dakuten & Han-Dakuten: Modifying Sounds

Dakuten is this symbol → ゛. Looks like quotation marks, right?

Dakuten marks certain consonant columns, changing pronunciation to “voiced” or “vibrating” sounds – vocal cords vibrate. Let’s see each transformation closely!

が（GA）ざ（ZA）だ（DA）ば（BA）ぱ（PA）: Voiced and Plosive Sounds

Luckily, only five dakuten kana rows. Just learn the sound changes (you know the base kana already). Let’s cover dakuten transformations.

か → が: K to G Sound

Every か-column kana can have dakuten. K sound becomes G sound.

か → が (ga)

き → ぎ (gi)

く → ぐ (gu)

け → げ (ge)

こ → ご (go)

Knowing the か-column, remember K → G. Think:

Car (か) crashes into guard (が) rail.

さ → ざ: S to Z Sound

さ-column kana with dakuten become Z sounds, except し (already an exception!). じ sounds more “JI” than “ZI,” but both spellings work for typing. Same for じ-combinations like じゅ – use J or Z.

さ → ざ (za)

し → じ (ji)

す → ず (zu)

せ → ぜ (ze)

そ → ぞ (zo)

Remember S → Z, except し to じ. Exceptions breed exceptions! For S → Z, mnemonic:

My saw (さ) just zapped (ざ) me when I used it. (Saw/さ zapping/ざ you).

Remember K-column, S-column conversions? S-column exception? Answer these, then next dakuten set.

た → だ: T to D Sound

た-column kana become D sounds, except exceptions (ち and づ). Exception breeds exception!

た → だ (da)

ち → ぢ (zi)

Note: Type “di.”

つ → づ (zu)

Note: Type “du.”

て → で (de)

と → ど (do)

ぢ and づ used to sound different (“dzi” and “dzu”), now sound like じ and ず. In writing, still used for sounds from ち and つ. Type ぢ/づ as “di”/”du,” not “zi”/”zu.”

た-column to だ-column mnemonic:

Dakuten versions are magic… "TADA!" (た & だ)

Remember K, S, T column changes? Three exceptions so far? Answer these, then last dakuten set – two sets in one.

は → ば, ぱ: H to B and P Sounds

H-column is odd. Two symbols: dakuten (゛) and han-dakuten (゜, little circle). Han-dakuten makes voiceless sounds (vocal cords don’t vibrate), unlike dakuten (voiced). Han-dakuten only for H sounds, to P sounds. Easy to remember though.

は → ば (ba), ぱ (pa)

ひ → び (bi), ぴ (pi)

ふ → ぶ (bu), ぷ (pu)

へ → べ (be), ぺ (pe)

ほ → ぼ (bo), ぽ (po)

Remember H-column becomes B and P sounds. Painful. Think:

“Hahaha (は)” at the bar (ば), drunk.

“Hahaha (は)” so much at the bar, someone punches (ぱ) you.

Imagine laughing “hahaha” a few times, vivid details (laughing, bar, punch).

P-column uses the circle (han-dakuten). Circle is like a fist, about to punch you.

Recall mnemonics for these conversions (and results):

か → さ → た → は → は →

Recall and answer all, then practice quiz time!

Dakuten Practice

Practice mainly on dakuten, but includes all kana learned so far.

Tofugu’s Learn Hiragana Quiz: Select only dakuten hiragana, drill 5-10 mins until comfortable.
Add all other kana, mixed with dakuten.
Worksheet: Fill in blanks.

Done with that, you should know kana fairly well, some better than others. Some “difficult” kana will nag (varies), but reading more makes it easier. Guide’s point: get you reading, so you use resources to continue Japanese study.

Combination Hiragana: Blending Sounds

One section left. Not much new learning, but combining kana for new sounds. Mostly small ゃ, ゅ, ょ with い-row kana (き, し, じ, に, etc.). Combining these:

い (I) row Kana: Kana ending in I-sound in romaji: き (ki) – し (shi) – ち (chi) – に (ni) – ひ (hi) – み (mi) – り (ri) – ぎ (gi) – じ (ji) – ぢ (zi) – び (bi) – ぴ (pi). Vowel い itself excluded!
Small ゃ – ゅ – ょ: Small versions of や (ya) – ゆ (yu) – よ (yo). Almost half-size: やゃゆゅよょ

Combining method: drop the I-sound from い-row kana. Example:

き + ゃ → KIYA → KYA

じ + ょ → JIYO → JYO

“i” dropped, becomes one syllable. Full list:

きゃ、きゅ、きょ → KYA, KYU, KYO

きゃ
KYA
きゅ
KYU
きょ
KYO

ぎゃ、ぎゅ、ぎょ → GYA, GYU, GYO

ぎゃ
GYA
ぎゅ
GYU
ぎょ
GYO

しゃ、しゅ、しょ → SHA, SHU, SHO

しゃ
SHA
しゅ
SHU
しょ
SHO

じゃ、じゅ、じょ → JYA, JYU, JYO (or JA, JU, JO)

じゃ
JYA
じゅ
JYU
じょ
JYO

ちゃ、ちゅ、ちょ → CHA, CHU, CHO

ちゃ
CHA
ちゅ
CHU
ちょ
CHO

ぢゃ、ぢゅ、ぢょ → DYA, DYU, DYO (rarely seen)

ぢゃ
DYA
ぢゅ
DYU
ぢょ
DYO

にゃ、にゅ、にょ → NYA, NYU, NYO

にゃ
NYA
にゅ
NYU
にょ
NYO

ひゃ、ひゅ、ひょ → HYA, HYU, HYO

ひゃ
HYA
ひゅ
HYU
ひょ
HYO

びゃ、びゅ、びょ → BYA, BYU, BYO

びゃ
BYA
びゅ
BYU
びょ
BYO

ぴゃ、ぴゅ、ぴょ → PYA, PYU, PYO

ぴゃ
PYA
ぴゅ
PYU
ぴょ
PYO

みゃ、みゅ、みょ → MYA, MYU, MYO

みゃ
MYA
みゅ
MYU
みょ
MYO

りゃ、りゅ、りょ → RYA, RYU, RYO

りゃ
RYA
りゅ
RYU
りょ
RYO

Combination Hiragana Practice

Practice time! Worksheet covers combination kana. Fill in blanks.

Done, you should read almost all hiragana, except one…

Small Tsu (っ): The Pause

Small tsu is odd. No sound itself. Adds a pause before a consonant sound. “Double consonant” – consonant after small っ is doubled in romaji. Hiragana to romaji examples:

したい → shitai

したい
SHITAI

しったい → shit_tai

しったい
SHITTAI

かこ → kako

かこ
KAKO

かっこ → kak_ko

かっこ
KAKKO

いた → ita

いた
ITA

いった → it_ta

いった
ITTA

Small っ before “ta” doubles the consonant, “shit_tai.” Same for kako/kakko.

Pronunciation: pause where small っ is. Example:

いしょ → isho

いしょ
ISHO

いっしょ → ish_sho

いっしょ
ISSHO

Hear separate consonants. One ends word part, one starts next (with small っ) showing midpoint.

Distinguishing small っ and large つ, especially handwritten, is hard initially. Experience and reading make it easy.

Additional Practice: Solidify Your Hiragana

While you can practice hiragana in real-world contexts now, here are more ways to hone your skills. Don’t do everything at once; space practice over weeks. Spaced practice boosts learning speed. Cramming isn’t as effective. Start other Japanese areas while practicing hiragana.

Worksheets: Sentence Practice

More worksheets to download/copy/print. Different now: real sentences, no kana tracking, more real-life. Put romaji above kana, read aloud. Don’t worry about meaning yet, that’s advanced.

After these, you’ll feel like a hiragana master. If not, more practice options.

Apps & Other Programs: Digital Drills

Many apps and resources to drill. Some seen in this guide, others not.

Plenty more resources exist, but this is enough to reach a level to use hiragana with other resources.

“Real Life” Practice: Immersion

For more practice, “real life” ways exist. Visit Japanese websites, read all hiragana you find. Teaches kanji, katakana, hiragana differentiation – useful skill. Try NHK NEWS WEB EASY, or graded readers.

Moving On Practice: Integrated Learning

Once hiragana is moderately slow, no need to drill for speed. Move on! Hiragana appears everywhere, so learning new things reviews hiragana too!

What Next? Continuing Your Japanese Journey

Hiragana is just the beginning. Much more to do, and hiragana helps you get there. “What’s next” is vague/individual, but here are suggestions:

Kanji: Essential Next Step

Start kanji right away. Many think wait until higher level, usually a bad idea. Kanji proficiency speeds up grammar, reading, speaking, listening. Kanji weakness weakens everything. Many find kanji hard, but WaniKani shows it’s not that hard.

Katakana: Parallel Learning

Learn katakana alongside kanji. Katakana less frequent early on, but not rare enough to ignore. If you liked this hiragana guide, see our katakana guide. Equally stellar.

Grammar: Building Sentences

With kanji foundation, learn Japanese grammar. Resources abound: Tae Kim’s Guide To Japanese, textbooks (Genki series). We also have grammar references on Tofugu.

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Hope this guide helped you learn hiragana effectively and quickly! Keep working hard, you’ll improve. With hiragana, you can start Japanese studies with any resource or textbook. Try many things, find what works. Check our Japanese resource reviews!

P.S. We’re adding videos to this guide, check back for pronunciation help (videos will be very helpful!).

Unlock Japanese: Your Fast Track to Learn Hiragana

Tofugu’s Learn Hiragana Book: Your Companion Guide

Essential Hiragana Charts by Tofugu

Mastering Hiragana Pronunciation

あ（A）い（I）う（U）え（E）お（O）: The Foundation Column

か（KA）き（KI）く（KU）け（KE）こ（KO）: The K-Column

さ（SA）し（SHI）す（SU）せ（SE）そ（SO）: The S-Column

た（TA）ち（CHI）つ（TSU）て（TE）と（TO）: The T-Column

な（NA）に（NI）ぬ（NU）ね（NE）の（NO）: The N-Column

は（HA）ひ（HI）ふ（HU/FU）へ（HE）ほ（HO）: The H-Column

ま（MA）み（MI）む（MU）め（ME）も（MO）: The M-Column

や（YA）ゆ（YU）よ（YO）: The Y-Column

ら（RA）り（RI）る（RU）れ（RE）ろ（RO）: The R-Column

わ（WA）を（WO）ん（N）: The W and N Sounds

Dakuten & Han-Dakuten: Modifying Sounds

が（GA）ざ（ZA）だ（DA）ば（BA）ぱ（PA）: Voiced and Plosive Sounds

か → が: K to G Sound

さ → ざ: S to Z Sound

た → だ: T to D Sound

は → ば, ぱ: H to B and P Sounds

Combination Hiragana: Blending Sounds

Small Tsu (っ): The Pause

Additional Practice: Solidify Your Hiragana

Worksheets: Sentence Practice

Apps & Other Programs: Digital Drills

“Real Life” Practice: Immersion

Moving On Practice: Integrated Learning

What Next? Continuing Your Japanese Journey

Kanji: Essential Next Step

Katakana: Parallel Learning

Grammar: Building Sentences

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Tofugu’s Learn Hiragana Book: Your Companion Guide

Essential Hiragana Charts by Tofugu

Mastering Hiragana Pronunciation

あ（A） い（I） う（U） え（E） お（O）: The Foundation Column

か（KA） き（KI） く（KU） け（KE） こ（KO）: The K-Column

さ（SA） し（SHI） す（SU） せ（SE） そ（SO）: The S-Column

た（TA） ち（CHI） つ（TSU） て（TE） と（TO）: The T-Column

な（NA） に（NI） ぬ（NU） ね（NE） の（NO）: The N-Column

は（HA） ひ（HI） ふ（HU/FU） へ（HE） ほ（HO）: The H-Column

ま（MA） み（MI） む（MU） め（ME） も（MO）: The M-Column

や（YA） ゆ（YU） よ（YO）: The Y-Column

ら（RA） り（RI） る（RU） れ（RE） ろ（RO）: The R-Column

わ（WA） を（WO） ん（N）: The W and N Sounds

Dakuten & Han-Dakuten: Modifying Sounds

が（GA） ざ（ZA） だ（DA） ば（BA） ぱ（PA）: Voiced and Plosive Sounds

か → が: K to G Sound

さ → ざ: S to Z Sound

た → だ: T to D Sound

は → ば, ぱ: H to B and P Sounds

Combination Hiragana: Blending Sounds

Small Tsu (っ): The Pause

Additional Practice: Solidify Your Hiragana

Worksheets: Sentence Practice

Apps & Other Programs: Digital Drills

“Real Life” Practice: Immersion

Moving On Practice: Integrated Learning

What Next? Continuing Your Japanese Journey

Kanji: Essential Next Step

Katakana: Parallel Learning

Grammar: Building Sentences

Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

あ（A）い（I）う（U）え（E）お（O）: The Foundation Column

か（KA）き（KI）く（KU）け（KE）こ（KO）: The K-Column

さ（SA）し（SHI）す（SU）せ（SE）そ（SO）: The S-Column

た（TA）ち（CHI）つ（TSU）て（TE）と（TO）: The T-Column

な（NA）に（NI）ぬ（NU）ね（NE）の（NO）: The N-Column

は（HA）ひ（HI）ふ（HU/FU）へ（HE）ほ（HO）: The H-Column

ま（MA）み（MI）む（MU）め（ME）も（MO）: The M-Column

や（YA）ゆ（YU）よ（YO）: The Y-Column

ら（RA）り（RI）る（RU）れ（RE）ろ（RO）: The R-Column

わ（WA）を（WO）ん（N）: The W and N Sounds

が（GA）ざ（ZA）だ（DA）ば（BA）ぱ（PA）: Voiced and Plosive Sounds