Hiragana
Hiragana is the first Japanese script to learn. You will see it in grammar endings and in words written without kanji.
Read each character aloud, then try to recognise it without looking at the romaji. The chart below covers the basic characters; voiced and combined sounds come later.
A good way to practise
- Learn one row of sounds, such as a–i–u–e–o.
- Cover the romaji and say each character aloud.
- Mix the rows so you recognise the shape, not just its place in the chart.
The hiragana chart
Choose a few characters to learn today; return to the rest once those feel familiar.
あa
いi
うu
えe
おo
かka
きki
くku
けke
こko
さsa
しshi
すsu
せse
そso
たta
ちchi
つtsu
てte
とto
なna
にni
ぬnu
ねne
のno
はha
ひhi
ふfu
へhe
ほho
まma
みmi
むmu
めme
もmo
やya
ゆyu
よyo
らra
りri
るru
れre
ろro
わwa
をo
んn