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Learn Japanese from scratch: hiragana, katakana, pronunciation and JLPT N5

Japanese Zen is for beginners who want to read, understand and speak Japanese — for a trip, for anime and games, or for the JLPT. Start with the two kana alphabets, get the pronunciation right, then move on to words, phrases and kanji. Every answer is short, shows the Japanese script with its reading and cites its sources; the free Japanese Zen app takes you further, from N5 to N1.

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  1. Japanese Alphabet: How Many Letters and Which SyllabariesThe Japanese alphabet in the usual sense does not exist: instead there are three writing systems — the…
  2. Hiragana Chart: All 46 Characters with RomajiHiragana — a complete table with each character's reading — consists of 46 basic syllables plus derivatives:…
  3. How to Learn Hiragana Fast (Mnemonics)How to learn hiragana fast: in 3–5 days, if you don't take the whole table at once, but in batches of 10–15…
  4. How to Learn Katakana FastHow to learn katakana fast: in 3–5 days using the same method as hiragana — batches of 10–15 characters,…
  5. How is hiragana different from katakanaHow is hiragana different from katakana: both alphabets convey the same 46 sounds, but are used in different…
  6. How to Learn Japanese from Scratch: A Step-by-Step PlanThe easiest way to learn Japanese from scratch is this: in 1–2 weeks master the two syllabaries — hiragana…
  7. Pitch accent in JapaneseJapanese accent is not stress-based like in English, but tonal — it's called pitch accent: syllables differ…
  8. How to Pass JLPT N5: What You Need to KnowTo pass JLPT N5, you need to know about 100 kanji, 600–800 words, basic grammar (particles, です/ます, simple…

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