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Writing about katakana, one loanword at a time.
Practical notes on learning katakana, reading loanwords, and getting started with Japanese. Written for people actually doing the work.
← Back to homeJun 11, 2026 · Learning Katakana
How long does it take to learn katakana?
Most people can learn all 46 katakana in one to two weeks. But a handful of characters — ン, ソ, ツ, シ — trip people up for much longer. Here's the honest timeline.
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May 9, 2026 · Learning Katakana
How to tell hiragana and katakana apart
They cover the same 46 sounds. They look nothing alike. And yet almost everyone mixes them up at first. The difference is simpler than you think, and it matters more than you'd expect.
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More posts coming soon. New articles are published 1–2 times a month.