Putting it All Together

It is not uncommon to see all three writing systems in a single sentence.

Ex. 私は先週にシカゴと大阪に行きました。
(Watashi wa senshuu ni Shikago to Osaka ni ikimashita.)
I went to Chicago and Osaka last week.

But don't be discouraged. Just take your time and read over the sentence carefully. Most sentences in beginner books will have furigana (small hiragana syllables placed over kanji) to help you read and understand things a little better, so no worries!

That concludes the introductory lesson of the Japanese writing systems. Try practicing writing your name or the names of some of your favorite actors or anime characters to get a better feel for how to use the syllables. For pronunciation practice...well, watch some anime! The best way to learn is to listen to a native speaker and emulate them, so what better way to learn and get some entertainment than by curling up with an episode of anime or two?

So, じゃ、またね！ (Ja, mata ne! / Until next time!)