Learn to read Japanese
A short, active path into reading Japanese: decode seven real words from eleven kana, learn why the verb comes last and how nine particles carry the grammar, meet the plain past stories are told in, and read a short fable before opening your first book.
Reading
3 sectionsFirst reading with help: two animals on the road
- Read the Japanese line first, then use the pronunciation and the English.
- Every word in the passage is glossed either in an earlier section or directly above the story.
- The one question in it ends in のno rather than かka — that is what dialogue looks like.
- When a line will not come apart: read the last word first, then find the small characters glued to the backs of the others.
One new job for の before the story
ある日、みちで
ある日、ねずみの ミナが みちに いた。
aru hi, nezumi no Mina ga michi ni ita.
One day the mouse Mina was on the road.
そこに きつねの ダラが きた。
soko ni kitsune no Dara ga kita.
The fox Dara came there.
「こんにちは、ダラ。」と ミナが いった。
konnichiwa, Dara, to Mina ga itta.
“Hello, Dara,” said Mina.
「こんにちは、ミナ。」と ダラが こたえた。
konnichiwa, Mina, to Dara ga kotaeta.
“Hello, Mina,” answered Dara.
「どこに いくの。」と ミナが きいた。
doko ni iku no, to Mina ga kiita.
“Where are you going?” asked Mina.
「もりに いく。おなかが すいた から。」
mori ni iku. onaka ga suita kara.
“To the forest. Because I am hungry.”
「もりの中に 水が ある。」と ミナが いった。
mori no naka ni mizu ga aru, to Mina ga itta.
“There is water inside the forest,” said Mina.
「ありがとう。さようなら、ミナ。」
arigatō. sayōnara, Mina.
“Thank you. Goodbye, Mina.”
「さようなら、ダラ。」と ミナが いった。
sayōnara, Dara, to Mina ga itta.
“Goodbye, Dara,” said Mina.
Three delayed recalls before the new story
These words were first decoded many sections ago. Try to recall them before revealing.
- きつね
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きつねkitsune“fox” - もり
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もりmori“forest” - 木
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木ki“tree” — the kanji for the word you first read as き.