Unit 1 of 11
Kana Foundation かな
Learn to read before you learn to speak. Hiragana and katakana are 211 characters and combinations between them: the 46 basic shapes of each script come with a mnemonic picture, the voiced sounds and small-ya combinations come with the rule that forms them, and all of them have a native recording. Every later unit is written in them.
0/211 learned
Check yourself
Reading them in a grid is easier than reading them cold. Run the quiz until both scripts come without hesitation, then move on.
Kana quiz →