Lesson 1 · N5 Beginner

Lesson 1: Japanese Writing Systems — Hiragana (あ・い・う・え・お)

Welcome to your first step in learning Japanese! In this lesson, we will master the 5 foundational Japanese vowels (あ、い、う、え、お) and their correct stroke orders.

15 min Reading + Practice N5 Beginner

1. The 5 Foundation Vowels

Unlike English which has many vowel variations, Japanese vowels are pure, short, and consistent:

Hiragana	Romaji	Pronunciation Guide	Example Word
あ	a	Like “a” in father	あさ (asa – morning)
い	i	Like “ee” in feet	いぬ (inu – dog)
う	u	Like “oo” in boot (unrounded)	うみ (umi – sea)
え	e	Like “e” in pet	えき (eki – station)
お	o	Like “o” in open	おと (oto – sound)

2. Stroke Order Rules

Always write Japanese characters from top to bottom, and from left to right. Maintain consistent balance inside a square grid.

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