An Ultimate Guide to Learning Hiragana

What is Hiragana?

Hiragana is the Japanese alphabets comprised of 46 basic letters. First step is to learn these basic letters and then move onto variations which can be categorized as the combination hiragana and hiragana with diacritical marks.

Before I get into the full details of hiragana, I just wanted to let you know that Hiragana is the foundation of Japanese learning! It helps you understand basic pronunciation because it represents all the sounds in Japanese. So, I cannot emphasize enough, how important it is to memorize all the hiragana at the very beginning of your Japanese learning journey.

When to use Hiragana

Hiragana is used in many occasions when reading or writing Japanese. The good news is, if you know hiragana, you can compose basic sentences and pronounce all the words properly. They are usually used for words that are native to Japan, meaning words that are originally Japanese. In contrast, words that have foreign origins are written in Katakana or words with Chinese-origins are written in Kanji. As you might've already noticed, Japanese sentences don't have spaces in between each word, and that makes it hard for us to read the sentence. The role of different writing system is to distinguish each word in a sentence so it becomes easier to read and write.

How to learn Hiragana

Tip 1: Try learning Hiragana one row at a time

Learning a whole new set of alphabet can be daring but breaking them down and learning one row at a time might be the most efficient and effective way to master Hiragana.

Hiragana has patterns so let me explain the easy way to decipher hiragana chart.

• First row is あいうえお aiueo, and they are Japanese vowels.

• Each hiragana is comprised of consonant and vowels.

• So, the second row かきくけこ ka ki ku ke ko, is a combination of consonant "k" and vowels. Second row, さしすせそ sa si su se so is a combination of consonant "s" and vowels. Notice the pattern now?

• Once you understand which consonant each row starts with, then it becomes easier to memorize all the hiragana.

Tip 2: Consistency is the key

One thing we all know is that if we don't use a language regularly, we can easily forget what we have learned. To maintain your knowledge, try using hiragana everyday. Make sure that you expose yourself to hiragana on a daily basis. The more you get familiar to these hiragana symbols, the easier it gets for you to learn Japanese. Here are some ideas to practice

• Start typing in Hiragana - Add a Japanese keyboard to your language settings and try typing in Japanese and see your progress. It can be on your phone or even computers.

• Stick a hiragana chart - It can be anywhere in your house as long as it's a place you look at frequently. Like near your work-space, on your desk or even bathroom walls. I know it sounds silly, but studying a hiragana chart in the shower turns out to be quite useful. And I tell you this from my experience! Many Japanese children learn Hiragana while they take a bath, and trust me I'm not lying because my childhood bathroom had an adorable Hiragana chart on the wall. You can purchase a water proof Hiragana chart online and it's worth looking them up;)

Tip 3: Use Apps and Quiz on your Free Time

Nowadays there are various apps and quizzes online. You can enjoy using them whenever you have free time. Here, I have listed useful apps and websites I usually recommend to my students when they just started practicing hiragana.

Langoal

This website is perfect for people who prefers to write and memorize hiragana. There are many hiragana words you can practice writing and you can also download and print out some practice sheets. It's very simple yet effective way to master all hiragana. The website also offers Apps and other study resources so feel free to check them out;)

Tofugo

You can take a look at this website to download their Hiragana Book for free! Make this handy booklet your go-to material to practice writing hiragana. Once you got the hang of it, try their quiz to test your understanding.

Busuu

This educational app allows you to learn Japanese at your own pace. The first lessons cover all the hiragana and basic vocabulary. You'll be able to build up a good foundation before you move onto the next stage. The repetitive practices will surely help you acquire hiragana.

Let's Get Started!

I hope this article has inspired you to start learning Hiragana. Stay motivated and find the best way to study hiragana. Once you master hiragana, many doors will open up for your Japanese learning journey. Try to enjoy every bit of the process;)