Your next step

I learned hiragana and katakana: what next?

Kana stays with you from here. It lets you learn words, notice grammar, and gradually read real Japanese. Take small steps with vocabulary, grammar and reading instead of waiting to finish one of them completely.

Add words with phrases

Use tiny meaningful chains, not only a bare word and translation: ねこ (cat), ねこです (it is a cat), ねこがすきです (I like cats). Kana now has a job to do, and grammar becomes less abstract.

Build basic grammar

Start with polite です, particles such as は・の・を・に, and simple verb patterns. Being able to build and understand a short sentence matters more than knowing every grammar label. One small pattern a day is plenty.

Do not fear kanji, but learn it through words

Kanji makes more sense inside vocabulary: 日 in 日本 (Japan), or 人 in 日本人 (Japanese person). A character without a word and reading is often harder to remember. Furigana and your familiar kana will support you at first.

Read very small texts

• Captions and simple dialogues.
• Menus, labels, and product names, especially katakana ones.
• Children's materials with furigana.
• Any short phrase you want to revisit.

While you add words and grammar, Kana Start is there for a quick kana check-in whenever reading starts to feel rusty.