Japanese script is completely new
Learn small groups by sound and shape, then recognise them inside real beginner words.
LEARN HIRAGANA AND KATAKANA
Learn hiragana and katakana — then start reading Japanese.
Build direct recognition of both Japanese kana systems with pronunciation, matching and writing support, then meet the same characters inside useful beginner words and sentences.
Hiragana practiceKatakana practiceRōmaji that fades
WHY THIS MATTERS
Kana is the doorway, not the destination
Hiragana and katakana are the first writing systems most Japanese beginners meet. Memorising a chart is helpful, but reading requires you to recognise the characters quickly when they appear in a word rather than reciting them in chart order.
Kana Match builds that direct connection. The beginner course then reuses the scripts inside vocabulary, grammar and sentences so kana practice immediately leads into Japanese you can understand.
FIND YOUR STARTING POINT
Learn kana quickly enough to use it — carefully enough to trust it.
This path starts from zero and also helps learners who know the charts but still read slowly or confuse similar characters.
Hiragana works but loanwords remain slow
Practise katakana early enough that it does not become a second beginner phase later.
You know the charts but still decode
Timed recognition, contrasts and word reading move kana from recall to automatic processing.
FROM KNOWING TO DOING
What kana fluency looks like beyond reciting a chart.
How characters become sounds you recognise automatically.
Recognise hiragana
Read the core script used for grammar endings and many native Japanese words.
Recognise katakana
Handle loanwords, names, emphasis and the sound combinations common in foreign vocabulary.
Connect symbol and sound
Use device pronunciation to reinforce the sound represented by each kana.
Read inside words
Move from single-character matching to vocabulary and complete beginner sentences.
HOW THE APP TRAINS IT1 2 3 4
Learn a manageable group
Focus on a small character set rather than repeatedly scanning the entire chart.
Recall in mixed order
Kana Match removes chart position as a clue and trains direct recognition.
Write and compare
Stroke guidance helps separate characters that look similar and reinforces their structure.
Use kana in lessons
New characters reappear in course words, grammar examples and reading so recognition becomes useful.
CONCRETE LEARNING MAP
From individual kana to uninterrupted word reading.
The goal is not reciting a chart. It is recognising sound accurately while your attention remains available for the word and sentence.
StageFocusPracticeEvidence of progress
Core shapes
Basic hiragana and katakana in small sound groups
Recognition, audio matching and optional tracing
Name the sound without using alphabet position as a clue
Sound changes
Dakuten, handakuten, combinations and small っ
Minimal contrasts such as かき and かぎ
Notice the character feature that changes the word
Reading flow
Long vowels, loanwords and complete beginner vocabulary
Word bursts and short sentence reading
Read familiar kana words without converting through rōmaji
KANA IN A REAL WORD
See why one small mark matters
かき → かぎkaki → kagipersimmon → key
WHAT THE EXERCISE TRAINS
Dakuten changes か to が and creates a different word. Kana practice trains the visual and sound contrast, then course vocabulary places both forms where meaning makes the difference memorable.
- See the character change
- Hear the sound contrast
- Recognise both inside words
A PLAN YOU CAN REPEAT
A 10-minute kana routine.
Short daily recognition builds speed better than repeatedly copying the complete chart.
- 3 MIN
Recall a small mixed set
Mix old and new characters so position on the chart cannot reveal the answer.
- 3 MIN
Contrast the confusing pair
Place ぬ and め, シ and ツ, or another personal confusion side by side with sound.
- 4 MIN
Read real words
Finish with vocabulary that uses the same kana, including one line without rōmaji.
AVOID THE COMMON DETOURS
Learning kana only in chart order
Sequence memory can answer even when the character itself is not secure.
Use shuffled recognition and mixed hiragana-katakana review.Ignoring small characters and long vowels
Missing っ, ゃ or a long vowel can change the word completely.
Practise sound contrasts inside vocabulary, not as a footnote.Keeping rōmaji under every word
The familiar alphabet captures attention before kana has a chance.
Hide rōmaji by default and reveal it only after attempting the Japanese.WHAT IS ACTUALLY INCLUDED
The complete kana foundation.
Concrete coverage for this level or skill, connected to lessons, practice and review.
When should rōmaji disappear?
Rōmaji is optional while the scripts are unfamiliar. It steps back deliberately as recognition improves, preventing the Latin spelling from becoming the permanent route to Japanese sound.
What about dakuten and combined sounds?
Kana practice includes voiced sounds and combinations, while course vocabulary shows how they behave inside real words.
What comes after kana?
Continue into N5 vocabulary, grammar and first kanji. You do not need perfect speed before beginning sentences; reading improves through continued use.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Know what to expect before you start.
Direct answers about level, scope, support and offline learning.
Should I learn hiragana or katakana first?＋
Hiragana usually comes first because it appears throughout beginner grammar, but the course introduces both and continues to mix them in practice.
Can I learn kana without rōmaji?＋
Yes. Rōmaji is optional, so you can switch it off immediately or let it fade as your recognition improves.
Does the app teach kana stroke order?＋
Writing support connects each character to its stroke sequence while matching practice develops fast recognition.
How long does it take to learn hiragana and katakana?＋
The pace varies. The goal is not only reciting both charts but recognising kana reliably inside words, which develops through continued course use.
15 COMPLETE BEGINNER LESSONS FREE
Request by email Start with the real course, not a reduced demo.
Learn, practise, review and complete the first three N5 units before deciding whether to unlock the full path to N3.