Learn Japanese by reading

You can start reading Japanese stories as soon as you know hiragana and katakana. Contos writes Japanese at CEFR levels A1 to B2 with a space between every word and particle, so you can see where each word ends and tap it for its meaning. A1 text is mostly kana with a few simple kanji, and kanji increase from A2.

Japanese stories by level

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Why is Japanese in Contos written with spaces?

Ordinary Japanese is written without spaces, which is one of the hardest things for a beginner: you can't always tell where one word stops and the next begins. Contos separates every word and every particle (は, が, を, に and so on), a style known as wakachigaki, so each one can be tapped on its own. There is no romaji in the stories and no furigana over kanji. Here is how the text changes as the levels go up, from the Japanese starter stories built into Contos:

きょうはどようびです。わたしはおかあさんといちばにいきます。

kyō wa doyōbi desu. watashi wa okāsan to ichiba ni ikimasu.

Today is Saturday. I'm going to the market with my mum.

A1: all kana. Every particle stands alone, so は and に can be tapped like any other word.

きのうの朝、わたしは八時のバスに乗れませんでした。

kinō no asa, watashi wa hachiji no basu ni noremasen deshita.

Yesterday morning I couldn't catch the eight o'clock bus.

A2: everyday kanji such as 朝 (morning) and 乗 (ride) appear, alongside the past tense.

毎週土曜日の朝、駅前の商店街はにぎやかになります。

maishū doyōbi no asa, ekimae no shōtengai wa nigiyaka ni narimasu.

Every Saturday morning, the shopping street by the station gets lively.

B1: kanji at a natural density for learners, with compound words like 商店街 (shopping street).

What should you learn before your first Japanese story?

Hiragana and katakana: yes. Stories are written in Japanese script from the first chapter, with no romaji, so you need both kana before you start.
Kanji: not yet. A1 stories lean on kana and use only a handful of basic kanji. You can learn kanji as they turn up, and tapping a word gives you its meaning.
Grammar: the basics come from reading. Particles like は and を come up again and again in A1 sentences, so you meet them many times in context.

Chapter pages for Japanese series aren't on Contos Learn yet. The full Japanese library, from A1 to B2, is in the app, and chapters 1 and 2 of every series are free.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to learn hiragana before using Contos?

Yes, and katakana too. Contos stories are written in Japanese script from A1, with no romaji. A1 stories, which are mostly kana, are a good way to practise reading them.

Does Contos use romaji or furigana?

Neither. Stories are written in kana and kanji with spaces between words. Tap any word to see what it means.

Why are there spaces between the words?

So you can see where each word begins and ends, and tap it. Standard Japanese has no spaces, which makes it hard for beginners to split a sentence into words. Contos separates every word and particle.

Can I read Japanese stories for free?

Yes. Chapters 1 and 2 of every Japanese series are free in the Contos app, in your browser or on iPhone and iPad. Contos Premium unlocks the rest.