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Lesson 1/90/9 complete

Start typing the highlighted letters

f j j f f j

Follow the key below. Take your time.

Press next

fF

Press and release this key.

Left index finger

Press lightly, then return to the home row.

Lesson help ↓

Set up your keyboard

These are US QWERTY finger drills: switch to English input. Choose Words & rhythm for your language and IME.

Follow the highlighted character and finger. Correct mistakes with Backspace, then build a steady rhythm. Lesson progress resets when you change stage, layout or input mode, or leave this page.

Find your index fingers

Find the bumps at the F and J positions. Alternate your index fingers; use either thumb for Space.

These are key-position drills, not words. The large key label shows the output; the small label names its US keyboard position. Follow the highlighted finger. Slow down until each movement feels comfortable; speed comes with accurate repetition.

Add your middle fingers

Place your middle fingers beside your index fingers. Tap lightly and keep the other fingers resting on the home row.

Add your ring fingers

Use your ring fingers for these home-row positions. Keep your wrists relaxed.

Add your little fingers

Use your little fingers at the outer home-row positions. Avoid moving the whole hand.

Join the home row

Combine the home-row movements. Your index fingers reach inward for the G and H positions, then return home.

Reach the upper row

Reach up with the highlighted finger. Return it to the home row after each press.

Reach the lower row

Reach down with the highlighted finger. Keep your eyes on the next key and maintain a steady rhythm.

Practise the number row

Reach to the number row, then return home. Key outputs depend on your layout; follow the character shown.

Use the opposite Shift

Hold Shift with the opposite hand while pressing the highlighted key. Release Shift before each space.

When you need a little more help

Keyboard setup & lesson notes

Set up a Japanese IME, practise hiragana and small っ, and learn when to commit kana versus select a conversion candidate.

2 minute read + practice of optional reading · Updated October 22, 2026 · By TypeScore Lab

Distinguish Romaji input from Latin output

A Japanese IME can accept Roman-letter key sequences while producing hiragana. That is Romaji input, not a request to submit Latin text. Activate Japanese input and its hiragana mode before using these fields. Kana input is another method with its own key positions.

Keep Built-in practice unchecked in the main test. The website lets the IME handle candidate navigation and commitment. It does not choose Japanese words from the answer on your behalf.

Practise kana before conversion

The first drill contains hiragana vowel characters. In Romaji input, a i u e o can produce あいうえお when entered as separate items. For the second drill, neko produces ねこ and ame produces あめ under common Romaji rules.

がっこう contains small っ. A common Romaji sequence is gakkou: the doubled k produces the small consonant marker. Read the target carefully; replacing っ with full-size つ changes the text.

Commit the script that the target asks for

The main Japanese practice library currently uses hiragana. If your IME offers kanji for a word, commit the hiragana shown in the target for that exercise. A correct word in another script still does not reproduce the sample.

In ordinary Japanese writing, conversion to kanji and katakana is useful. Practise those decisions separately from these introductory kana drills. The final sentence here means that I read a book every day and intentionally remains in hiragana. Include the Japanese full stop 。 without adding spaces between words.

References and further help

These references explain the keyboard or writing-system behavior used in this lesson. The exercises above are TypeScore Lab practice material.

Microsoft: Japanese IME modes and conversion

Found a spelling, layout, or input issue? Send a correction with the sample, your device, and your input method.

Learn how typing scores are calculated, or choose another language tutorial. Lessons explain text entry; they are not a complete language course.

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