HIRAGANA
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Introduction
The Japanese language uses 3 writing systems:
Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji.
In Japanese, broadly three scripts are used in a mixed way.
Hiragana and Kanji are used widely in a sentence. Katakana is mainly used for borrowerd words from foreign language.
For example,
ラジオで日本の歌をきいた。(I heard a Japanese song on radio)
In the above sentence all the three scripts are used as follows:
Hiragana: で, の, を, きいた
Katakana: ラジオ
Kanji: 日本, 歌
Table of Contents
The Goal of this Session
- Master Hiragana alphabets within 3~20 days.
- To be able to pronounce the alphabets correctly.
- To be able to write Hiragana alphabets with proper stroke order.
- To be able to read basic Hiragana vocabularies. The only purpose is to focus on reading, so do not worry about the meanings.
Brief Explanation
Hiragana (平仮名)
Gojuuon(五十音)
Dakuon(濁音)
Handakuon(半濁音)
Yoon(拗音)
Hiragana (平仮名)
- Hiragana alphabets are simplified forms of the kanji.
- Hiragana is a set of 46 basic alphabets.
- In addition to 46 basic Hiragana letters called as gojuuon, there are modified sounds like:
20 dakuon , 5 handakuon, 36 yoon, 1 sokuon. - You can download and print Hiragana chart(PDF) for practice.The meaning of each has been summarized below:
- Gojuuon(五十音): basic 46 alphabets
- Dakuon(濁音): addition of 2 small dots (called as dakuten) to the hiragana in か(ka), さ(sa), た(ta), and は(ha) rows.
For example,
adding 2 small dots to は(ha) becomes ば(ba). - Handakuon(半濁音): addition of a small circle (called as handakuten)
For example,
adding a small circle to は(ha) becomes ぱ(pa)
- Yoon(拗音): is described by :
i-column letter + small や(ya)、ゆ(yu)、or よ(yo)
For example,
き(ki) + small や(ya) = きゃ(kya) - Sokuon(促音): is described by small つ(tsu)
small つ(tsu) means that the alphabet in the next character is doubled and a slight pause results.
For example, さっき(sakki)
Gojuuon(五十音)
- In Japanese, alphabets are organized in 5 x 10 matrix. This table is known as gojūon-zu which means `Table of 50 sounds`.
- In total, 46 letters (45+1) are counted as gojūon (50 sounds).
- The first row alphabets あ (a), い (i), う (u), え (e) and お (o) are five vowels of the Japanese language.
- Letters お and を represent the same sound (o). を is used only as the particle in a sentence.
| a | i | u | e | o | |
| a | あ a [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/あ.mp3″] | い i [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/い.mp3″] | う u [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/う.mp3″] | え e [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/え.mp3″] | お o [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/お.mp3″] |
| ka | か ka [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/か.mp3″] | き ki [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/き.mp3″] | く ku [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/く.mp3″] | け ke [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/け.mp3″] | こ ko [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/こ.mp3″] |
| sa | さ sa [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/さ.mp3″] | し shi [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/し.mp3″] | す su [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/す.mp3″] | せ se [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/せ.mp3″] | そ so [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/そ.mp3″] |
| ta | た ta [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/た.mp3″] | ち chi [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ち.mp3″] | つ tsu [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/つ.mp3″] | て te [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/て.mp3″] | と to [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/と.mp3″] |
| na | な na [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/な.mp3″] | に ni [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/に.mp3″] | ぬ nu [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぬ.mp3″] | ね ne [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ね.mp3″] | の no [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/の.mp3″] |
| ha | は ha [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/は.mp3″] | ひ hi [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ひ.mp3″] | ふ fu [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ふ.mp3″] | ヘ he [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/へ.mp3″] | ほ ho [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ほ.mp3″] |
| ma | ま ma [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ま.mp3″] | み mi [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/み.mp3″] | む mu [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/む.mp3″] | め me [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/め.mp3″] | も mo [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/も.mp3″] |
| ya | や ya [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/や.mp3″] | ゆ yu [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ゆ.mp3″] | よ yo [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/よ.mp3″] | ||
| ra | ら ra [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ら.mp3″] | り ri [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/り.mp3″] | る ru [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/る.mp3″] | れ re [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/れ.mp3″] | ろ ro [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ろ.mp3″] |
| wa | わ wa [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/わ.mp3″] | を wo [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/を.mp3″] | |||
| ｎ | ん ｎ [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ん.mp3″] | ||||
Dakuon(濁音)
- Dakuon means two small dots.
- Dakuon can be added only to か(ka), さ(sa), た(ta), and は(ha) rows. Dakuon is usually added to the right top of the letter.
- じ and ぢ are pronounced the same as ji.
- ず and づ are pronounced the same as zu.
| a | i | u | e | o | |
| ga | が ga [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/が.mp3″] | ぎ gi [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぎ.mp3″] | ぐ gu [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぐ.mp3″] | げ ge [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/げ.mp3″] | ご go [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ご.mp3″] |
| za | ざ za [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ざ.mp3″] | じ ji [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/じ.mp3″] | ず zu [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ず.mp3″] | ぜ ze [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぜ.mp3″] | ぞ zo [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぞ.mp3″] |
| da | だ da [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/だ.mp3″] | ぢ di [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぢ.mp3″] | づ du [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/づ.mp3″] | で de [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/で.mp3″] | ど do [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ど.mp3″] |
| ba | ば ba [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ば.mp3″] | び bi [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/び.mp3″] | ぶ bu [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぶ.mp3″] | べ be [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/べ.mp3″] | ぼ bo [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぼ.mp3″] |
Handakuon(半濁音)
- Handakuon means a small circle.
- Handakuon is added to the right top of は(ha) row only.
| a | i | u | e | o | |
| ha | ぱ pa [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぱ.mp3″] | ぴ pi [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぴ.mp3″] | ぷ pu [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぷ.mp3″] | ぺ pe [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぺ.mp3″] | ぽ po [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぽ.mp3″] |
Yoon(拗音)
- Addition of small や(ya), ゆ(yu), or よ(yo) to consonants is known as Yoon(拗音)
- Formula:
i-column letter + small や(ya)、ゆ(yu)、or よ(yo)
| ~ya | ~yu | ~yo | |
| ki | きゃ kya [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/きゃ.mp3″] | きゅ kyu [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/きゅ.mp3″] | きょ kyo [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/きょ.mp3″] |
| shi | しゃ sha [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/しゃ.mp3″] | しゅ shu [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/しゅ.mp3″] | しょ sho [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/しょ.mp3″] |
| ni | にゃ nya [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/みゃ.mp3″] | にゅ nyu [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/みゅ.mp3″] | にょ nyo [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/みょ.mp3″] |
| hi | ひゃ hya [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ひょ.mp3″] | ひゅ hyu [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ひゅ.mp3″] | ひょ hyo [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ひょ.mp3″] |
| mi | みゃ mya | みゅ myu [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/みゅ.mp3″] | みょ myo [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/みょ.mp3″] |
| ri | りゃ rya [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/りゃ.mp3″] | りゅ ryu [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/りゅ.mp3″] | りょ ryo [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/りょ.mp3″] |
| gi | ぎゃ gya [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぎゃ.mp3″] | ぎゅ gyi [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぎゅ.mp3″] | ぎょ gyo [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ひょ.mp3″] |
| ji | じゃ ja [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/じゃ.mp3″] | じゅ ji [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/じゅ.mp3″] | じょ jo [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/じょ.mp3″] |
| bi | びゃ bya [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/びゃ.mp3″] | びゅ byu [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/びゅ.mp3″] | びょ byo [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/びょ.mp3″] |
| pi | ぴゃ pya [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぴゃ.mp3″] | ぴゅ pyu [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぴゅ.mp3″] | ぴょ pyo [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぴょ.mp3″] |
Practice test
Videos
Fun way to Memorize!
Video lessons
Fun way to Memorize!
To memorize the Hiragana letters, here is a video link that will help you to learn musically! It will also help you in developing your listening skills because songs can be useful in language learning as they provide a format for memorizing vocabulary and rhythm of the language.
So, we suggest you to become a kid again and use your creativity to widen your language learning potential.
Video lessons
Coming soon……….
Download Free PDF
To download the Free PDF of Hiragana chart, please click on the Download button.
- To download the Free PDF of Hiragana Practice book, please click on the Download button.
- This e-book contains stroke order of all the hiragana letters.
Did You know ?
Japan in Japanese is Nihon or Nippon.
Recommended books
For more practice, we recommend the books below. Click on any book to get a detailed review. Also check out some popular dictionaries and Flip cards that can boost your study method.
To summarize
Practice reading and writing Hiragana alphabets as many times as you can until you become Perfect. And then you are ready to shift to Katakana learning.
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