Lesson 1: Hiragana — The Foundation of Japanese ✍️

Introduction 🇯🇵

Welcome to your first step into the Japanese language! Before you can read manga, watch anime without subtitles, or have your first conversation in Tokyo, you need to master hiragana (ひらがな) — the most fundamental writing system in Japanese.

💡 What is Hiragana? Hiragana is one of three writing systems used in Japanese (alongside katakana and kanji). It's a phonetic syllabary where each character represents a sound. Think of it as the Japanese "alphabet," though technically it works differently. Every Japanese sentence uses hiragana, making it absolutely essential for beginners.

🤔 Did you know? Hiragana evolved from simplified Chinese characters around the 9th century and was originally called "onnade" (women's hand) because it was primarily used by women in the Heian period court!

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Core Concepts: The Hiragana Chart 📊

The Structure

Hiragana consists of 46 basic characters organized in a systematic way. The chart is arranged by vowels (横, yoko - horizontal) and consonants (縦, tate - vertical).

+----+----+----+----+----+
|    | a  | i  | u  | e  | o
+----+----+----+----+----+
| ∅  | あ | い | う | え | お
+----+----+----+----+----+
| k  | か | き | く | け | こ
+----+----+----+----+----+
| s  | さ | し | す | せ | そ
+----+----+----+----+----+
| t  | た | ち | つ | て | と
+----+----+----+----+----+
| n  | な | に | ぬ | ね | の
+----+----+----+----+----+
| h  | は | ひ | ふ | へ | ほ
+----+----+----+----+----+
| m  | ま | み | む | め | も
+----+----+----+----+----+
| y  | や |    | ゆ |    | よ
+----+----+----+----+----+
| r  | ら | り | る | れ | ろ
+----+----+----+----+----+
| w  | わ |    |    |    | を
+----+----+----+----+----+
|    |    |    |    |    | ん
+----+----+----+----+----+

The Five Vowels: Your Foundation 🎯

Everything in hiragana builds on these five vowel sounds:

あ (a) — Pronounced like "ah" in "father" 🧠 Mnemonic: Looks like an Apple with a bite taken out ✍️ Stroke order: 3 strokes (left curve → right curve → connecting stroke)

い (i) — Pronounced like "ee" in "see" 🧠 Mnemonic: Looks like two icicles hanging down ✍️ Stroke order: 2 strokes (left vertical line → right curved line)

う (u) — Pronounced like "oo" in "soon" (but shorter) 🧠 Mnemonic: Looks like a Unicorn horn pointing right ✍️ Stroke order: 2 strokes (horizontal line → down and curve)

え (e) — Pronounced like "eh" in "let" 🧠 Mnemonic: Looks like an exotic bird with a long tail ✍️ Stroke order: 2 strokes (top curve → bottom stroke)

お (o) — Pronounced like "oh" in "boat" 🧠 Mnemonic: Looks like an Olympic swimmer doing the backstroke ✍️ Stroke order: 3 strokes (top horizontal → left vertical curve → crossing stroke)

💡 Tip: Practice writing these vowels 10 times each before moving on. They form the basis of ALL other hiragana!

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The K-Row (Ka-Ki-Ku-Ke-Ko) 🔤

か (ka) — "ka" as in "car" 🧠 Mnemonic: A karate chop cutting through

き (ki) — "kee" as in "keep" 🧠 Mnemonic: A key with a curved handle

く (ku) — "koo" as in "cool" 🧠 Mnemonic: A bird's beak saying "coo-koo"

け (ke) — "keh" as in "kelp" 🧠 Mnemonic: A keg on its side

こ (ko) — "ko" as in "coat" 🧠 Mnemonic: Two coins stacked

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The S-Row (Sa-Shi-Su-Se-So) 📝

さ (sa) — "sa" as in "saw" 🧠 Mnemonic: A saw cutting wood

し (shi) — "shee" as in "she" ⚠️ Not "si"! 🧠 Mnemonic: She has a curly tail

す (su) — "soo" as in "soon" 🧠 Mnemonic: A sued shoe with a strap

せ (se) — "seh" as in "set" 🧠 Mnemonic: A cent sign gone wild

そ (so) — "so" as in "sew" 🧠 Mnemonic: A sewing needle with thread

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The T-Row (Ta-Chi-Tsu-Te-To) 🎪

た (ta) — "ta" as in "taco" 🧠 Mnemonic: A table with crossed legs

ち (chi) — "chee" as in "cheese" ⚠️ Not "ti"! 🧠 Mnemonic: A cheerleader with pom-poms

つ (tsu) — "tsoo" as in "tsunami" ⚠️ New sound for English speakers! 🧠 Mnemonic: A tsunami wave

て (te) — "teh" as in "tell" 🧠 Mnemonic: A telephone pole

と (to) — "to" as in "toe" 🧠 Mnemonic: A tornado spiraling

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The N-Row (Na-Ni-Nu-Ne-No) 🌊

な (na) — "na" as in "nah" 🧠 Mnemonic: A naughty cross with a curl

に (ni) — "nee" as in "knee" 🧠 Mnemonic: A knee bending

ぬ (nu) — "noo" as in "noon" 🧠 Mnemonic: Noodles on chopsticks

ね (ne) — "neh" as in "nest" 🧠 Mnemonic: A nest with a tail

の (no) — "no" as in "note" 🧠 Mnemonic: A "NO" sign (circle with slash)

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The H-Row (Ha-Hi-Fu-He-Ho) 🏠

は (ha) — "ha" as in "hat" (also used as particle "wa") 🧠 Mnemonic: Ha-ha laughing face

ひ (hi) — "hee" as in "heat" 🧠 Mnemonic: He smiles with one tooth

ふ (fu) — "foo" as in "food" ⚠️ Not "hu"! 🧠 Mnemonic: Mount Fuji profile

へ (he) — "heh" as in "hen" (also used as particle "e") 🧠 Mnemonic: Heaven's gate

ほ (ho) — "ho" as in "hotel" 🧠 Mnemonic: Ho-ho-ho Santa's belt

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The M-Row (Ma-Mi-Mu-Me-Mo) 🎵

ま (ma) — "ma" as in "mom" 🧠 Mnemonic: Mama's apron

み (mi) — "mee" as in "me" 🧠 Mnemonic: Me doing a spin (21)

む (mu) — "moo" as in "moo" (cow sound) 🧠 Mnemonic: A mooing cow's face

め (me) — "meh" as in "met" 🧠 Mnemonic: Melting ice cream

も (mo) — "mo" as in "more" 🧠 Mnemonic: More loops and swirls

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The Y-Row (Ya-Yu-Yo) 🌟

や (ya) — "ya" as in "yacht" 🧠 Mnemonic: Yawning mouth

ゆ (yu) — "yoo" as in "you" 🧠 Mnemonic: You doing gymnastics

よ (yo) — "yo" as in "yogurt" 🧠 Mnemonic: Yo-yo string

⚠️ Notice: The Y-row only has 3 characters (no "yi" or "ye" in modern Japanese)

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The R-Row (Ra-Ri-Ru-Re-Ro) 🌈

ら (ra) — "ra" as in "rock" (but softer, almost like "la") 🧠 Mnemonic: Rabbit ears

り (ri) — "ree" as in "reed" 🧠 Mnemonic: River flowing down

る (ru) — "roo" as in "room" 🧠 Mnemonic: A route with a loop

れ (re) — "reh" as in "red" 🧠 Mnemonic: Resting on a bench

ろ (ro) — "ro" as in "row" 🧠 Mnemonic: Robot with antenna

🗣️ Pronunciation Note: Japanese "R" is between English "R" and "L" — your tongue lightly taps the roof of your mouth like a soft "D".

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The W-Row (Wa-Wo) + N 🌊

わ (wa) — "wa" as in "watt" 🧠 Mnemonic: Waffle with syrup

を (wo) — "wo" as in "woe" (sounds like "o", only used as particle) 🧠 Mnemonic: Wonky "o" with extra stroke

ん (n) — "n" as in "on" (nasal sound, only appears at end of syllables) 🧠 Mnemonic: Looks like the letter N bent

💡 Important: ん is the ONLY hiragana that doesn't end in a vowel sound!

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Dakuten & Handakuten: Voice Modifiers 🔊

Hiragana characters can be modified with two special marks:

Dakuten (゛) — The "Voiced" Mark

Adds voicing to certain consonants (makes them "buzzier"):

+----+----+----+----+----+----+
|    | K→G| S→Z| T→D| H→B|    |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| a  | が | ざ | だ | ば |    |
| i  | ぎ | じ | ぢ | び |    |
| u  | ぐ | ず | づ | ぶ |    |
| e  | げ | ぜ | で | べ |    |
| o  | ご | ぞ | ど | ぼ |    |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+

Example:

• か (ka) + dakuten = が (ga) — like "game"
• さ (sa) + dakuten = ざ (za) — like "zap"
• た (ta) + dakuten = だ (da) — like "dad"
• は (ha) + dakuten = ば (ba) — like "bat"

Handakuten (゜) — The "P" Mark

Only applies to the H-row, changing it to P:

ぱ (pa), ぴ (pi), ぷ (pu), ぺ (pe), ぽ (po)

Example:

• は (ha) + handakuten = ぱ (pa) — like "pat"

🔧 Try this: Write か, then add the dakuten marks to make が. Notice how your voice changes from whispered to voiced!

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Examples: Simple Words Using Hiragana 📖

Example 1: あい (ai) — "love"

🗣️ Pronunciation: "ah-ee" ✍️ Practice: Write あ then い. This is one of the most common words in Japanese! 💬 Usage: 「あいしてる」(aishiteru) means "I love you"

Example 2: いえ (ie) — "house"

🗣️ Pronunciation: "ee-eh" ✍️ Practice: い + え 💬 Usage: 「これはわたしのいえです」(kore wa watashi no ie desu) — "This is my house"

Example 3: かお (kao) — "face"

🗣️ Pronunciation: "kah-oh" ✍️ Practice: か + お 💬 Usage: 「かおをあらう」(kao wo arau) — "wash your face"

Example 4: さくら (sakura) — "cherry blossom"

🗣️ Pronunciation: "sah-koo-rah" ✍️ Practice: さ + く + ら 🌸 Cultural Note: Cherry blossoms are deeply symbolic in Japanese culture, representing the beauty and transience of life.

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Common Mistakes ⚠️

Mistake 1: Confusing Similar-Looking Characters

Problem: Mixing up characters like:

• あ (a) and お (o)
• は (ha) and ほ (ho)
• ぬ (nu) and ね (ne)
• る (ru) and ろ (ro)

Solution: Focus on the distinguishing features:

あ: 2 loops      お: 3 strokes with cross
は: symmetrical  ほ: has + symbol
ぬ: loop left    ね: tail right
る: single loop  ろ: square with tail

Mistake 2: Wrong Stroke Order

Problem: Writing strokes in the wrong sequence makes characters look "off"

Solution: Follow these universal rules:

1. Top to bottom (上から下)
2. Left to right (左から右)
3. Horizontal before vertical when they cross

Mistake 3: Pronunciation Errors

Problem: Reading し as "si" instead of "shi", or ち as "ti" instead of "chi"

Solution: Remember these special cases:

• し = "shi" (NOT "si")
• ち = "chi" (NOT "ti")
• つ = "tsu" (NOT "tu")
• ふ = "fu" (NOT "hu")

Mistake 4: Forgetting ん Can't Start Words

Problem: Trying to use ん at the beginning of words

Solution: ん ONLY appears in the middle or at the end of words: ほん (hon - book), せんせい (sensei - teacher)

Mistake 5: Size Confusion

Problem: Not distinguishing between full-size and small っ, ゃ, ゅ, ょ

Solution: Small characters (coming in later lessons) serve special functions:

• っ: doubles the next consonant
• ゃ, ゅ, ょ: combine with other characters

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Mini-Story: A Day with Hiragana 🎭

Let's use the hiragana you've learned in a simple story:

あさ (asa - morning)
I wake up and see the そら (sora - sky) is blue.

いえ (ie - house)
I leave my house and walk to the park.

はな (hana - flower)
I see beautiful flowers: さくら (sakura - cherry blossoms)!

かお (kao - face)
The sun warms my face.

あい (ai - love)
I love Japanese!

💬 Full sentence combining all:
「あさ、いえをでて、そらとはなをみた。かおがあたたかい。さくらがすき。にほんごのべんきょうがすき！」

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Key Takeaways 🎯

✅ Hiragana is the foundational writing system — master this before katakana or kanji
✅ 46 basic characters organized by vowels (a-i-u-e-o) and consonant rows
✅ Stroke order matters for proper character formation
✅ Dakuten (゛) voices consonants: ka→ga, sa→za, ta→da, ha→ba
✅ Handakuten (゜) makes H-row into P: ha→pa
✅ Special sounds: shi (not si), chi (not ti), tsu (not tu), fu (not hu)
✅ ん is unique — the only character not ending in a vowel
✅ Practice daily — write each character 10+ times for muscle memory

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📋 Quick Reference Card: Hiragana at a Glance

╔══════════════════════════════════════╗
║     HIRAGANA QUICK REFERENCE         ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════╣
║ VOWELS: あ(a) い(i) う(u) え(e) お(o)║
║                                      ║
║ K: か き く け こ                     ║
║ S: さ し す せ そ                     ║
║ T: た ち つ て と                     ║
║ N: な に ぬ ね の                     ║
║ H: は ひ ふ へ ほ                     ║
║ M: ま み む め も                     ║
║ Y: や    ゆ    よ                     ║
║ R: ら り る れ ろ                     ║
║ W: わ             を                  ║
║ N: ん                                ║
║                                      ║
║ VOICED (゛): か→が さ→ざ た→だ は→ば║
║ P-SOUND (゜): は→ぱ ひ→ぴ ふ→ぷ     ║
║                                      ║
║ PRACTICE: Write 10x daily!           ║
║ REMEMBER: Top→bottom, left→right     ║
╚══════════════════════════════════════╝

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📚 Further Study

1. Interactive Hiragana Practice:
   https://www.nhk.or.jp/lesson/en/letters/hiragana.html
   (NHK's official hiragana learning tool with stroke order animations)

2. Hiragana Writing Practice Sheets:
   https://www.japanesepod101.com/japanese-hiragana-chart/
   (Downloadable PDF worksheets for handwriting practice)

3. Spaced Repetition Flashcards:
   https://ankiweb.net/shared/info/1632090287
   (Anki deck specifically designed for hiragana memorization)

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🎉 Congratulations! You've completed your first lesson in Japanese. Practice writing these characters every day, and within a week, you'll be reading simple Japanese words! がんばって！(ganbatte - do your best!)