Learning Kana

[rebeccawitham7774]

I am an absolute beginner and have been trying to learn the two kana for a long time, but nothing seems to stick!
I am extremely frustrated and was wondering if someone had some advice for someone just starting out?
I believe mnemonics to be helpful, but wondering if there is any other way?

[community.japanese]

rebeccawitham7774 san,
konnichiwa.
If you are frustrated and you don’t need to read kana at the moment, you can practice others only.
Of course four skills are related each other and your kana reading skill helps your other skills.
Also if you can read kana, your pronunciation will be better than now.
However, you can enjoy speaking only at the moment.
The most important point is you should enjoy learning Japanese.
If you still want to memorize kana, how about download app to your smart phone and have drill practices every day?

Team JapanesePod101.com
Yuki 　由紀

[rebeccawitham7774]

Thanks you Yuki!
Yes, I downloaded some apps on my phone and I practice the kana everyday but sometimes it's hard to remember all of them!
I will also try and concentrate on speaking, too!
Thanks for your advice

[Jaagjah]

Here's what I did;

1.) Write down a row of 5 kana.
2.) Flip the paper over and try to write the same kana.
3.) Repeat until successful.
4.) Write down another row of 5 kana.
5.) Repeat step 2.
6.) Repeat until successful.
7.) Now on a separate piece of paper. Try to write down the 10 kana you just practiced.
8.) Correct any mistake and fill in any blanks (Ones you forgot).
9.) Repeat.
10.) Once successful, move onto a new set of 5.

Repeat this until you're able to write down all of the hiragana and katakana. Different brains may require different methods of learning for best results.

[rebeccawitham7774]

Thanks your advice
It's true that different brains learn differently - I will have to figure out how mine works!!!

[jim.schuler]

To learn hiragana, I conjugated verbs. You will run into the overwhelming majority of characters this way if you choose the right conjugations to hit. Take 待つ, for example

Plain: 待つ
Polite: 待ちます
Negative: 待たない
Potential: 待てる
Volitional: 待とう

And like that, I've run the whole t row while also writing the kanji out five times.

Of course, I'm not so good with the n's.

[community.japanese]

jim.schuler　さん、
こんにちは。
They are correct.
Well done.
Team JapanesePod101.com
Yuki 　由紀

[community.japanese]

rebeccawitham7774 san,
konnichiwa.
Ganbatte kudasai.
Team JapanesePod101.com
Yuki 　由紀

[community.japanese]

Jaagjah san,
Konnichiwa.
Thank you for sharing your study tips.
Team JapanesePod101.com
Yuki 　由紀