How long does it take to learn hiragana?

Most learners can memorize all 46 basic hiragana in 1-2 weeks with daily practice of 20-30 minutes. Recognition comes first, then writing fluency follows with continued practice.

Should I learn hiragana or katakana first?

Start with hiragana. It is used far more frequently in everyday Japanese and is essential for reading grammar particles, verb endings, and native Japanese words.

What is the best way to memorize hiragana?

Combine visual mnemonics with active writing practice. For example, あ (a) looks like a figure doing a karate chop saying 'Ahh!' Write each character repeatedly while saying the sound aloud.

How to Learn Hiragana: Complete Beginner Guide

What is Hiragana?

Hiragana is one of three Japanese writing systems and the first one every learner should master. It consists of 46 basic characters, each representing a syllable sound. Hiragana is used for native Japanese words, grammatical particles, verb endings, and as reading aids (furigana) above kanji characters.

Unlike the English alphabet where letters combine to form sounds, each hiragana character represents a complete syllable. This makes Japanese pronunciation remarkably consistent — once you know the characters, you can pronounce any word written in hiragana.

The Five Vowels

Japanese has only five vowel sounds, making pronunciation simpler than English. Start by mastering these: あ (a) as in "father," い (i) as in "meet," う (u) as in "food," え (e) as in "pet," and お (o) as in "go." These five vowels form the foundation — every other hiragana is a consonant plus one of these vowels.

Consonant Rows

Hiragana is organized into rows based on consonants: ka-row (かきくけこ), sa-row (さしすせそ), ta-row (たちつてと), na-row (なにぬねの), ha-row (はひふへほ), ma-row (まみむめも), ya-row (やゆよ), ra-row (らりるれろ), and wa-row (わを) plus the standalone ん (n).

Learn one row per day and review previous rows. By day 10, you will know all basic hiragana. Test yourself with our Hiragana Quiz.

Dakuten and Combinations

Dakuten (゛) and handakuten (゜) modify existing characters to create new sounds. Adding dakuten to か makes が (ga), to さ makes ざ (za), to た makes だ (da), and to は makes ば (ba). Handakuten only applies to the ha-row, turning は into ぱ (pa).

Combination characters use small や, ゆ, or よ after certain characters: きゃ (kya), しゅ (shu), ちょ (cho). These extend your sound inventory significantly.

Practice Strategy

The most effective approach combines recognition drills with writing practice. Use our quiz tool for recognition, and our practice sheets for writing. Start with 5 characters per session, adding more as previous ones become automatic. Read simple Japanese texts (children's books, NHK Easy News) to reinforce recognition in context.

Download our free kana chart PDF to keep as a reference while studying.