Learning hiragana in two weeks

2026-10-16

Hiragana can be learned in a few weeks with regular review.

Order

Learn row by row using the hiragana chart:

1. あ-row and か-row
2. さ, た, な rows
3. は, ま, や, ら, わ rows and ん
4. Voiced marks (゛ ゜): が, ざ, だ, ば, ぱ
5. Combinations with small ゃゅょ: きゃ, しゅ, ちょ

Memorising

• Mnemonics: link each shape to a picture of your own.
• Writing: follow stroke order, 5–10 repetitions per character.
• One row a day, reviewing earlier rows.
• Random testing: hide the chart and read characters in random order.

Look-alikes

Beginners confuse ぬ ね め, は ほ, わ れ ね, さ ち, る ろ. Compare them in pairs.

Special rules

• は is “wa” as a particle, へ is “e”, を is “o”.
• Small っ doubles the next consonant: きって (kitte).
• Long vowels: おかあさん, おおきい.

Then move on to katakana and the vocabulary.