1. Hiragana is More Fundamental
Hiragana forms the grammatical core of written Japanese. It's used for:
- Native Japanese words not written in Kanji.
- Grammatical particles (like は, が, を) that structure sentences.
- Verb and adjective endings (okurigana).
- Furigana (reading aids for Kanji).
Without Hiragana, you can't read or construct basic Japanese sentences. Katakana, while important, serves more specialized functions.
2. Hiragana is Used More Frequently
In almost any standard Japanese text (excluding perhaps highly technical or specialized documents), you will encounter far more Hiragana than Katakana. Mastering Hiragana first gives you immediate access to reading a larger percentage of written Japanese.
3. It Mirrors How Native Speakers Learn
Japanese children learn Hiragana first in school. Textbooks and learning materials for young children are predominantly written in Hiragana. Following this natural progression makes sense for learners too.
4. Provides a Foundation for Katakana (and Kanji)
Both Hiragana and Katakana represent the same set of sounds. Once you've associated the sounds with the Hiragana shapes, learning the corresponding Katakana shapes becomes a task of learning a second visual representation for sounds you already know, which is generally easier.
Furthermore, understanding Hiragana is essential for learning Kanji readings later on, as dictionaries and learning materials use Hiragana to indicate pronunciation.
5. Katakana Can Be Confusing Initially
Katakana has many characters that look strikingly similar (シ/ツ, ソ/ン). Tackling these after you have a solid grasp of the distinct Hiragana shapes can make the differentiation process slightly less overwhelming.
Conclusion: Build a Strong Foundation First
While the temptation might be there to jump into Katakana (especially if you recognize loanwords), learning Hiragana before Katakana provides a much stronger foundation for your Japanese studies. It unlocks basic grammar, is used more frequently, and makes learning Katakana and Kanji easier down the line. Focus on mastering Hiragana first, then confidently move on to Katakana.