Start Learning Japanese– category –
New to Japanese? Start here. Beginner guides covering the learning path, kana, numbers, basic phrases, and core grammar. See /how-to-start-learning-japanese/ for a curated starting point.
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Kana Reading Speed: How to Stop Sounding Out Every Character
【The "Sounding Out" Problem】 When most learners first read hiragana or katakana, they go character by character: "That's... き... and that's... ょ... and that's... う...". This is normal at first, but it stalls reading comprehension an... -
Japanese Yoon: How Compound Kana Sounds Work (きゃ, しゅ, にょ…)
【What Is Yoon (拗音)?】 Yoon (拗音) are compound sounds formed by combining a consonant kana with a small や, ゆ, or よ. The small kana is written at half-size and is pronounced together with the preceding kana in a single beat (one mor... -
Confusing Kana Pairs: A Complete Guide to Similar-Looking Hiragana and Katakana
【Why So Many Characters Look Alike?】 Hiragana and katakana were both derived from Chinese characters (kanji), which means some ended up looking remarkably similar. For beginners, certain pairs cause constant confusion — you read one, b... -
Katakana Dakuten and Semi-Voiced Sounds: が, ざ, だ, ば, ぱ in Katakana
【What Are Voiced Sounds (濁音) in Katakana?】 Just like hiragana, katakana uses two diacritical marks to add voiced and semi-voiced sounds. Mastering these is essential for writing loanwords — and almost every katakana word you encounte... -
Hiragana Stroke Order: How to Write Every Character Correctly
【Why Stroke Order Matters in Japanese】 You might wonder — does the order you draw strokes really matter? For hiragana, the answer is yes. Correct stroke order makes your handwriting look natural, helps you write faster, and is expected... -
How to Write Your Name in Japanese: Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji
Writing your name in Japanese is one of the first things many learners want to do. There are specific rules about when to use hiragana, katakana, or kanji — and which system you use says something about who you are. 【Foreign Names Go in... -
How to Type Japanese on a Keyboard: Hiragana, Katakana, and Romaji Input
Typing Japanese on a standard keyboard is easier than it looks. Modern operating systems handle the conversion automatically — you type romaji, the input method editor (IME) converts it to hiragana or katakana, and then you can further c... -
Katakana Foreign Words: How English Words Transform into Japanese
Japanese borrows thousands of words from English and other languages, writing them in katakana. Understanding how English transforms into Japanese pronunciation will help you both recognize katakana words and speak them correctly. 【The ... -
Japanese Long Vowels: おう vs おお, ―, and When Vowels Get Extended
Japanese vowels can be short (one beat) or long (two beats). Getting long vowels right matters — saying a word with the wrong vowel length changes its meaning or makes it sound unnatural. 【Long Vowels in Hiragana】 In hiragana, long vow... -
Hiragana vs Katakana: When to Use Each in Japanese Writing
Hiragana and katakana represent the same sounds — every character in one alphabet has an exact equivalent in the other. So why does Japanese use both? The choice tells readers something important about the word's origin and usage. 【Use ...
