The kana grid
Building block:The 46 basic hiragana fit a grid: five vowel columns, あ い う え お, and rows that put a sound in front of each vowel.
How it works
- The か row is か き く け こ: a k sound in front of each vowel.
- Some rows are short. The や row has three, や ゆ よ, and the わ row has わ and を. ん sits on its own.
- A few sounds shift a little: し, ち, つ and ふ. The lesson card for each says how.
- Everything else builds on this grid: marks and combined kana.
Examples
vowels
あいうえお
the か row
かきくけこ
the や row
やゆよ