Kanakana: Learn Kana

Learn the 46 hiragana and 46 katakana by eye, ear and hand. The あ row is free, and 五十音 has a launch price until 31 December.

Kanakana teaches the 46 hiragana and 46 katakana, one calm character at a time.

BY EYE Each kana stands large on a practice sheet, beside the kanji it came from: あ from 安, ア from 阿. The sheet shows each kana as it is written by hand, with its はね and はらい, so you learn the real shape.

BY EAR Tap any kana to hear it, in one clear Japanese voice. あ and ア are the same sound, so they share a recording. Romaji is there when you want it and can be hidden.

BY HAND Write each kana stroke by stroke, in KanjiVG stroke order: trace a faint model, then only the numbered starting dots, then a blank sheet. Kanakana checks where each stroke starts, which way it goes and where it ends, never how neat it is. A wrong stroke simply fades. Write it from memory and it earns its 正.

REVIEW Check asks you to read what you have learnt. Each kana comes back after 1, 2, 4, 7 and 15 days; miss one and it steps back. No streak to lose, no red crosses.

ALSO • The 五十音 chart shows every kana and how far you have come. • 記録, your record: the sheets you have written, the days you practised, and a few kana worth another go. • A gentle daily reminder if you want one, only on days you have not practised. • 自由帳, a free sheet: write any kana and Kanakana reads it back. • Hiragana and katakana are two paths; switch between them at any time. • For iPhone and iPad, in English and Traditional Chinese. • Teaches the 46 basic kana of each script, then their 濁音 (が, ぱ). Combinations (きゃ) come later.

FREE TO START The あ row of hiragana and of katakana is free, with every feature. One purchase, 五十音, opens every other row of both scripts. No subscription.

PRIVATE No account, no ads, no tracking. Your progress stays on your device.

Stroke order from KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel (CC BY-SA 3.0). Voice: Fumi, made with ElevenLabs.