If your target language uses a different script from your native language, you'll need to learn it. This article is specifically about phonetic writing systems — scripts where the symbols represent sounds (or syllables), not meanings. If your target language uses Chinese characters (hanzi/kanji), see the article on character study instead. Character Study
Alphabets (e.g., Cyrillic, Greek, Georgian, Armenian): A set of symbols representing individual sounds, much like the Latin alphabet you're reading right now. Each letter (more or less) corresponds to a consonant or vowel sound.
Abjads (e.g., Arabic, Hebrew): Similar to alphabets, but vowels are often omitted or written as optional marks above or below the consonants. This means you sometimes need to know the word already to read it correctly.
Syllabaries (e.g., Japanese kana, Cherokee): Symbols represent whole syllables rather than individual sounds. Japanese has two syllabaries — hiragana and katakana — with about 46 characters each. Each symbol represents a sound like "ka," "mi," or "to."
Abugidas (e.g., Devanagari for Hindi, Thai, Korean hangul): These are somewhere between alphabets and syllabaries. Each base symbol represents a consonant with a default vowel, and you modify it to change the vowel. Korean hangul is especially elegant — the individual letters are grouped into syllable blocks, making it look like a syllabary but function more like an alphabet.
Regardless of the system, there are going to be exceptions and things to get used to. English is notorious for using a spelling system that doesn't represent the sounds that are actually said. Some languages are closer to the actual pronunciation, but usually only in formal contexts. This is just a fact of written language and not something to worry about, but good to keep in mind.
The good news is that phonetic writing systems are all learnable in a relatively short time — anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the system.
Start by learning to read, not write. You'll need reading ability immediately for your immersion and study materials. Handwriting can wait until much later (if you need it at all). Being able to type in the script is more important in today's world, and typing is much easier to pick up.
Use dedicated resources. For most scripts, there are free charts, apps, or short courses that walk you through each character and its sound. For hangul, you can learn the system in an afternoon. For Cyrillic, a few days. Arabic and Thai scripts take a bit longer because of their complexity, but are still very manageable.
We've made official free study decks for French, German, Japanese, Russian and Spanish.
Don't wait until you've "finished" to start immersion. Begin immersion alongside your writing system study. You'll be slow at reading at first, but the constant exposure will reinforce what you're learning. Many learners find that immersion materials with audio are especially helpful here — you hear the word and see the script at the same time, which builds the sound-symbol connections quickly.
Practice with real content as soon as possible. Once you can sound out basic words (even slowly), start reading simple sentences in the language. Speed comes with time and exposure. The goal isn't to perfectly memorize every character in isolation — it's to become comfortable enough that you can read while immersing.
Trying to master the script before doing anything else. This leads to weeks of isolated study when you could be immersing and learning the script in context. Start both at the same time.
Ignoring audio. A script is just a representation of sounds. If you learn the symbols without hearing the language, you'll have a much harder time connecting what you read to what you hear. Always study the script alongside audio.
Stressing about handwriting too early. Unless you have a specific need for handwriting (like a class or exam), focus on reading first. Handwriting is a separate skill that can be developed later when it becomes relevant.