Hiragana vs katakana: what's the difference and which first?
Hiragana and katakana write the same 46 sounds, so why two sets? What each is used for, how to tell them apart, and why most learners start with hiragana.
Japanese writing has two sets of kana, and the first question every beginner asks is why. Both write the same sounds. か and カ are both "ka". So what's the second set for, and do you have to learn both?
Short answer: yes, you need both, and you don't need them at the same time. Here's how they split the work.
They're two alphabets for one set of sounds
Each set has 46 basic characters, built on the same grid of sounds. Add dakuten (the two small marks), handakuten (the small circle) and the combined sounds like きゃ and キャ, and each reaches 104. That's 208 kana in all, the full set in Kana no Michi.
You can see both side by side on the hiragana chart and the katakana chart. The sounds line up row for row. Only the shapes change.
| Sound | Hiragana | Katakana |
|---|---|---|
| a | あ | ア |
| ka | か | カ |
| shi | し | シ |
| ma | ま | マ |
| n | ん | ン |
What hiragana is for
Hiragana is the everyday set. It's rounded and flowing, and you'll see it everywhere in a normal sentence.
- Grammar. Particles like は, を and の, and the endings on verbs and adjectives, are all hiragana.
- Native Japanese words that don't have a kanji, or where the kanji is rare. ありがとう and おいしい are good examples. Furigana, the small reading aids above kanji, are hiragana too.
If you can read hiragana, you can already read a surprising amount of a simple sentence. That's why almost every course starts here.
What katakana is for
Katakana is angular, with straighter strokes and sharper corners. It does a different job.
- Loanwords. Words borrowed from other languages: コーヒー (coffee), テレビ (television), ホテル (hotel), ピザ (pizza). If a word sounds like English, it's often katakana.
- Foreign names and places. Your own name will be written in katakana on a form in Japan.
- Emphasis and sound effects. The way English uses italics or capitals, Japanese uses katakana. Comics and ads lean on it. Animal sounds like ワンワン (woof) are often written this way too.
- Some animal and plant names, and a lot of menu items.
Katakana is also where the lookalikes hide. シ and ツ, ソ and ン, ク and ケ. If you've been burnt by those, the katakana lookalikes guide is the one to read.
How to tell them apart on sight
Two habits make it quick:
- Curves or corners. Hiragana is soft and rounded. Katakana is sharp and made of short, straight strokes.
- Context. A word that sounds foreign and is written in sharp characters is almost certainly a loanword. One sentence can hold both sets plus kanji, and that mix helps you see where one word stops and the next begins.
Some pairs do look related. か and カ, や and ヤ, せ and セ share a skeleton. Others, like あ and ア or ま and マ, look quite different. Don't expect a rule. You learn each set as its own shapes.
Which should you learn first?
Hiragana, for nearly everyone. It's in every sentence, and you can't read grammar without it. Katakana can wait a few weeks, and it's easier the second time round because you already know the sounds. All you're learning is the new shapes.
A sensible order looks like this:
- Learn the 46 basic hiragana, five at a time, in gojuon order.
- Add the dakuten and combined sounds.
- Spend a week or so reading simple words in hiragana only.
- Start katakana, using loanwords you already know as your first practice.
The how long does it take to learn hiragana guide has a weekly plan if you want one.
How Kana no Michi handles the split
All hiragana is free in Kana no Michi, forever. Katakana comes with the Study Unlock, a one-time purchase of US$4.99 with no subscription, which also adds six more drill modes. You work through the characters five at a time, review them with spaced repetition and trace each stroke in the right order. It runs on iPhone, iPad, Android and the web, and you don't need an account.
So you can finish all of hiragana before you decide whether you want the rest.
Do I really need both hiragana and katakana? Yes. Hiragana carries the grammar and katakana carries the loanwords and names, and a normal page of Japanese uses both together.
Is katakana harder than hiragana? Not usually. The sounds are the same, so you're only learning new shapes. The lookalike pairs are the main snag, and they respond well to short, repeated drills.
Can I learn them at the same time? You can, but most learners find it blurs the two sets together. Getting comfortable with hiragana first, then adding katakana, tends to stick better.
Why does Japanese have two sets at all? History. Hiragana grew out of cursive forms of kanji used in everyday writing, and katakana came from pieces of kanji used as study notes. Over the centuries they settled into the jobs they do today.
Where do kanji fit in? Kanji carry meaning and sit alongside kana in the same sentence. Learn the kana first, because they're how you read kanji's pronunciation when you start.