Why hiragana first?

[Goldiegirl]

Why should I learn hiragana first and then katakana? I was wondering if their is a specific reason. I am just curious. If this has already been asked, sorry! I looked but didn't see anything in the language section. Do Japanese children learn their language in this order as well? Thanks!

 

[shtooky]

if i am correct , which i am not sure i am .... lol i think its because katakana is for foreign words ,while hira is for japanese verbs and nouns ( i think ) iono if that is the reason , but ... i am also learning hira first , but only because i think its easiest .

 

[yukio_michael]

Well, hiragana is the basis for all early Japanese learning texts (good ones at least)... I know of many good Japanese non-native speakers who are clumsy with katakana (myself included), but hiragana will help you read the furigana readings of kanji, and it's sort of a cornerstone of Japanese, all the beginning phrases will eventually be written in hiragana, and you'll gradually be introduced to kanji and katakana words...

As far as I know from books, most early books for children focus on hiragana, but probably at a very young age... All of the children's books I've read that were in Japanese (not study booklets, like Showa Notes) were in hiragana...

Best way to learn them is to write them, over and over and over again, forward and backwards... It makes things much easier when you begin studying Japanese.

 

[Goldiegirl]

Ok, that makes sense to me. My teacher said that once we learn all the hiragana we will start katakana and kangi. She also said that if the kangi was similar or easy we will learn that at the same time. I just ordered a fude pen (spelling could be wrong) so I can start practicing my writing. It all seems so intimidating. There are just so many shapes to remember, and at the same time learn the sounds and meaninggs. I am excited and yet at the same time anxious. I haven't taken a class and done homework in 10 years. I think I have forgotten how to be a student and how to study and really how to learn...or be in the learning state of mind.

 

[Alma]

you will use hiragana more than katakana. when you start to read, you will read mostly hiragana. so it makes sense. also, kanji can be quite difficult, so it is better to know hiragana first because you can write every word with it.

good luck with studying

 

[yukio_michael]

It's Kanji, (not Kangi) 漢字 ...and keep in mind, I don't know of many Japanese who actually write a lot of kanji... But, don't let me discourage you, because writing it, and learning the stroke order, and understanding radicals, will help you understand kanji best...

Radicals are part of a kanji, usually in one part of the character, left, right, top, bottom.... that are other actual kanji that are combined to make more complicated characters.

I think that a lot of people are using computers these days to write kanji, so even in the adult community the ability to write (and remember) kanji is being lost, much to the chagrin of the Ministry of Education.

The best way to learn Japanese, is not really to be student, it's to be someone who loves the Japanese language, and wants to devour it.

 

[Goldiegirl]

I don't want to sound terrible, but I don't think I love the Japanese language. I love some of the people! I want to know more about them and to be able to share more fully in their lives. And, I want them to know more of me, not just some translations of my words and feelings, but MY words. The same for them, I want to know what they are actually saying, not someones interpretation of what they said. Maybe that will make for love of the language......

 

[yukio_michael]

I don't want to sound terrible, but I don't think I love the Japanese language. I love some of the people! I want to know more about them and to be able to share more fully in their lives. And, I want them to know more of me, not just some translations of my words and feelings, but MY words. The same for them, I want to know what they are actually saying, not someones interpretation of what they said. Maybe that will make for love of the language......

Trust me, I understand what you are saying, much of the language frustrates me at times--- I don't think it's a perfect language for complex expression, but the desire to communicate with those whom I love, and the desire to understand, from a Japanese perspective, drives me to learn the language...

I just want you to think about it not like a chore, but as a means to an end... Learn it to know more of the people you love, and to share more of your feelings and emotions with them... the mechanics of the language aside, not a lot of us think the language is perfect, what I mean is, to make it a labour of love.

 

[Goldiegirl]

Ahh...that it is...a labor of love. You are most right on that! I appreciate your thoughtful answers.

I've also been given the added incentive as I encouraged a Japanese friend to try and learn English, as we struggle to understand one another, and I found out that she is now taking private lessons. She said I was so encouraging and she felt that I made English seem somehow easier. I should say the same, she taught me how to count and some simple phrases. It should be fun for us when we get together in June!

 

[shidoshi]

Anyway, don't worry,
because they are really easy to study,
you just need to refresh it every day, if you don't want to forget it --- ^_^ ----<

Good luck ^.-

 

[Goldiegirl]

I was attempting to remember (the) hiragana all at once, and I wasn't writing it. 4-5 a day with writing...that's what I think will work for me. I found a website that shows you the stroke order, that makes a BIG difference. It's learning to write all over again.

 

[Alma]

http://www.nihongoweb.com/Hiraganapro/index.html

http://www.msu.edu/~lakejess/kanjigame.html

http://members.aol.com/writejapan/

maybe this can help too.
don't give up. it is not actually so easy, at least not for me. I still can mix up some of them practice (and good will) I all you need

 

[Goldiegirl]

Thanks a bunch. I looked at the websites you suggested. I really like the first one a lot. Their chart makes sense to me!

 

[Goldiegirl]

I downloaded writing drills for little kids from a Japanese website. I have to say that for me tracing the outline of the hiragana makes it easier for me! I feel like I am in kindergarden all over again. I just found that I couldn't quite get the proportions right on my own. Tracing the the "letters" correctly is training my hand for the right motions and shape. It's like I need my hand to physically remember the movement and the shape. I now know 7 hiragana. It's not much, but I know the sound, the shape and I can write it.

 

[Arc Light]

The best way to learn Japanese, is not really to be student, it's to be someone who loves the Japanese language, and wants to devour it.

Well said, my friend.
I'm trying to learn it as well, and I haven't been a student since 1991, with the exception of a tech. class now and then. But I have found that by utilizing the "Total Immersion" method, I've been learning much faster than I thought. I'm teaching myself Hiragana using website that people have posted here also. Being a J-Pop and J-Rock fan, as well as a fan of the Hello! Project, I'm actually able to pick up words here and there when I watch videos or listen to music. I download Music Videos and Japanese TV shows when I find them. Most are subtitled, but my goal is that by the time I'm finished with my Rosetta Stone Japanese Course, I want to be able to watch a Japanese Movie without subtitles.
Speaking it is a whole different thing...I try, but there's no one here near me to practice with.
ANd just for fun/challenge, I'm thinking of launching a Japanese version of one of my websites...
And Goldiegirl, I don't know how long you'ved been studying Japanese, but for me, I used to think it was hard and very difficult to understand. It wasn't until I started learning recently that made something "click" in my head that made me realize that was easier than I thought. The difficulty was probably all in my head...
Good luck, kiddo!

 

[Goldiegirl]

Yeah, you're right, sometimes when learning something new it seems difficult and then all of a sudden a lightbulb turns on in your brain and you finally understand. What I am finding interesting is that I learn the shapes first, along with saying the sound in my English accent, and then after I have mastered that, I learn the Japanese sound. It's like learning two times, but I find I have difficulty learning the correct sound with the shape of the hiragana at the same time...I wonder what that's all about!

 

[Buntaro]

Goldie,

You said,

"...I find I have difficulty learning the correct sound with the shape of the hiragana at the same time...."

--> Try writing the correct pronunciation beneath each Hiragana character on flashcards (from the first time you see the character). Would that help?

 

[Goldiegirl]

I'm going to try your great suggestion Buntaro. I have flash cards, but it IS just the character. I think that could really work. I am going to go through my cards now! I believe that will help and probably make the learning process faster. Yay! I'll let you know how it goes! Thanks!!!

 

[Buntaro]

Goldiegirl,

Let us know how that works for you. Later on, you may want to have two sets of flashcards, one with the pronunciation on the front, another set with the pronunication on the back.

I like your title "Flying High". (I am an airline pilot....)

 

[Elizabeth]

I'm going to try your great suggestion Buntaro. I have flash cards, but it IS just the character. I think that could really work. I am going to go through my cards now! I believe that will help and probably make the learning process faster. Yay! I'll let you know how it goes! Thanks!!!

As far as I can see, you won't have any problem with the consonants. Those pronounciations, for the most part, are the same as English. Only much more consistent....

 

[Goldiegirl]

Those darn vowels. Yes they are my trouble. It's hard to retrain your brain! Anyway today I decided I needed to "just do it" and I learned all the hiragana on Usagi-chans chart from the Genki resource something or another. What I now have a problem with is the actual writing styles. Not every character on the chart matches the Genki book and the Genki books hiragana characters don't match completely with my other Japanese books. I find that very hard. I think some of it looks more like traditional brush strokes and seems to have extra "hooks" and then I can't figure it out because it looks totally different. Do you just get past that after a while? Is there a "standard" style of writing?

I love flying...doesn't matter, horse, parachute or plane!

 

[Buntaro]

Goldie,

Yes, some characters contain "drag-strokes", especially き, こ, さ, and ふ. Note that ち does not contain a drag-stroke -- it must be written that way.
Here is a good website with good animated graphics on how to write kana.

Hiragana home

Yes, there is a "standard" way to write kana, and the animated kana are of the standardized form.

Yes, the day will come when all of this is a piece of cake!

 

[Goldiegirl]

I read my first word...shinkansen! Yay! :cracker:
A BIG thank-you to everyone for their support and answering my pre-beginner questions!