Japanese · three writing systems
The Japanese alphabet: hiragana, katakana and kanji
Japanese mixes three scripts in the same sentence. Here is what each does, which to learn first and how long it takes.
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Japanese · lesson preview
Step 4駅はどこですか。
Where is the station?
- Order
- Translate
- Listen
- Speak
Say it out loud. Green landed, yellow was close.
Start freeThe three scripts compared
| Script | Characters | Used for | Learn it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hiragana | 46 | Grammar words, endings and native words | First, about a week |
| Katakana | 46 | Foreign words, names and emphasis | Second, about a week |
| Kanji | Thousands (about 2,000 for daily life) | Meaning-carrying words, mixed with hiragana | Last, gradually over years |
A sentence with all three
私はコーヒーを飲みます。
Watashi wa koohii o nomimasu: “I drink coffee.” Kanji carries the meaning of 私 (I) and 飲 (drink), katakana writes the loanword コーヒー (coffee), and hiragana supplies the grammar: は, を and みます.
Where to start
- Learn hiragana (about a week).
- Learn katakana (about a week).
- Learn kanji a few at a time, inside real words and sentences, not as a separate project.
Does Japanese have an alphabet?
Not one alphabet. Japanese mixes three writing systems: hiragana, katakana and kanji. Hiragana and katakana are syllable charts of 46 characters each, and kanji are characters borrowed from Chinese.
Which should I learn first, hiragana or katakana?
Hiragana first. It is used for grammar and is in every beginner text. Katakana follows, and you will read words like コーヒー (coffee) quickly.
Do I need to read Japanese to speak it?
No. You can learn to speak first and add reading. Most learners do better learning hiragana in parallel with speaking, because seeing a sentence while you say it helps both.
How long does it take to learn hiragana and katakana?
About a week each with 15 to 20 minutes a day. Reading kanji takes years, but you only need a few hundred for basic sentences.
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