Hiragana (ひらがな) is one of the three writing systems used in Japanese and is the first script every learner should master. It consists of 46 basic characters that represent individual sounds rather than letters, making it a phonetic alphabet, or more accurately, a syllabary. Hiragana is used to write native Japanese words, grammatical endings, and words that don’t commonly use kanji.

Once you can read hiragana, you’ll be able to pronounce nearly any Japanese word, read simple sentences, and begin building a strong foundation for learning grammar, vocabulary, and conversation. While memorizing a new writing system may seem challenging at first, consistent daily practice will help you recognize and write each character with confidence.