庭Niwa

What to learn after hiragana

Marimo, your learning companion

Let’s see where the next word takes us.

Try a few useful words in sentences, and build from there. If katakana is still new, keep practising it alongside vocabulary. Add short readings when they feel approachable, and use grammar explanations and kanji practice whenever they help. There is no deadline to keep up with.

This is the approach Niwa takes: familiar words, small steps and support as you read. It is one way to begin, and you can adapt it to your interests and goals.

Give new words some context

Start with useful everyday vocabulary. Meet a word in a sentence, listen to it, and notice how it works with the words around it. A translation helps with meaning; the example gives you a little more to hold onto.

Spaced reviews bring words back over time. If one does not stick yet, that is a reason to meet it again, not a sign that you should already know it.

Read something small, with support

Choose a short text with plenty of familiar vocabulary. Rereading, checking a translation or looking up a word all count as practice. You can enjoy a sentence before you understand every detail.

Nation’s (2006) work on English reading describes why vocabulary coverage matters for unassisted comprehension. It does not set a deadline or a required word count for starting to read Japanese. In Niwa, stories build on learned words and may introduce one highlighted new word with support.

Make room for grammar and kanji

A grammar explanation can help you see a pattern in sentences you have met. If a particle or verb ending is puzzling, look it up or ask a teacher. You can also follow a structured grammar course alongside vocabulary practice.

Learn kanji through the words that contain them, with readings available while you need them. Separate character practice can be useful too, especially for a class, an exam or something you want to read. You do not need to choose one approach forever.

A path you can adjust

  1. Get comfortable with kana. Keep revisiting hiragana and katakana. Use reading help when you need it and try without it as you feel ready.
  2. Add useful words. Learn a few in context and let spaced reviews bring them back. Choose a pace that leaves room for revisiting them.
  3. Try a short reading. Look for familiar words, use the available support and reread a passage you enjoyed.
  4. Follow what you notice. Explore a grammar point, practise a kanji or listen again to a sentence. Adjust the balance as your interests grow.

Progress might be recognising a word in a new sentence, needing one fewer lookup, or feeling ready to read a passage again. These are things to notice, not milestones you have to reach on a schedule.

What this approach leaves room for

Niwa focuses on a beginner vocabulary foundation and supported reading. Native books, conversation and exams ask for more than this core provides. A teacher, a grammar course, listening practice or focused kanji study can sit alongside it.

If you are returning after a break, start with something familiar. Your next step can be small.

Sources

Last updated 1 November 2026. Niwa brings kana, a 502-word core, 1,379 example sentences and 281 short stories together, with reading support along the way. Join the waitlist.