KanaTrial

This app tries to teach the Japanese kana syllabaries, hiragana and katakana, through a trial and error method. The user is presented with a single kana one at a time in a random order, and inputs the romanization of the kana (the representation of the kana in letters from the Latin alphabet) with the virtual keyboard. After inputting an answer, the user is given direct visual feedback if the answer was correct or not, and the app presents the next kana.

The app uses a system of points and rounds. Correct answers gives the user points, but any incorrect answer will reset the points to zero. The user may use a button to give up on the current kana and to be presented with the correct answer and the next kana; this will not reset the score, but the user will not be getting any points either. If the user gives a correct answer to every kana in the syllabary, the number of completed rounds (visible by a counter in the interface) will go up. Continuous repetition of a syllabary in a randomized order allows for learning through trial-and-error, and as a way to reinforce the users knowledge of the syllabaries during other forms of Japanese study.

The user can switch between the hiragana syllabary and katakana syllabary at will, but switching resets all the numbers in the interface. The app contains a function to show every kana in the syllabary currently in use in a full-screen table, including their romanization, but using this function will reset any numbers the user has achieved.

IMPORTANT! The kana romanization answers in this app is based upon the Hepburn romanization system, where the romanization of a kana is based upon how the kana would sound using English or Italian phonology. There are other systems of romanization, not used here.

IMPORTANT! When used in Japanese, some kana might take on different pronunciations in different situations, which is not covered in this app. This has to be covered by other methods of learning Japanese.

This app does not promise to be free of error or to be perfect in accordance to the study of Japanese. Keep this in mind when using the app. Proper suggestions of improvements are welcome.