KATAKANA
Course Content
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
The Goal of this Session
- Master Katakana alphabets within 3~20 days.
- To be able to pronounce the alphabets correctly.
- To be able to write Katakana alphabets with correct order of stroke.
- To be able to read simple vocabulary in Katakana. The main goal is to focus on reading, so do not worry about the meanings at this moment.
Brief Explanation
Katakana
Gojuuon(五十音)
Dakuon(濁音)
Handakuon(半濁音)
Yoon(拗音)
Katakana
Katakana is used for foreign loan words. For example,
Radio in Japanese is ラジオ(rajio),
Towel in Japanese is タオル(taoru),
Pen in Japaneses is ペン(pen), etc.
Such words which are borrowed from english language are written in Katakana.
Also, names of people or places from countries other than Japan are written in Katakana.
Katakana and Hiragana alphabets represent exactly the same set of sounds.
Katakana alphabets are formed by taking a part of Kanji.
Katakana is also a set of 46 basic alphabets like Hiragana. All the rules are same as Hiragana.
In addition to 46 basic Katakana letters called as gojuuon, there are modified sounds like:
20 dakuon , 5 handakuon, 36 yoon, 1 sokuon.
You can download and print Katakana chart(PDF) for practice.
The meaning of each has been summarized below:
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 ア (a), イ (i), ウ (u), エ (e) and おオ(o) are five vowels of the Japanese language.
| a | i | u | e | o | |
| a | ア a [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/あ.mp3″] | イ i [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/い.mp3″] | ウ u [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/う.mp3″] | エ e [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/え.mp3″] | オ o [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/お.mp3″] |
| ka | カ ka [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/か.mp3″] | キ ki [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/き.mp3″] | ク ku [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/く.mp3″] | ケ ke [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/け.mp3″] | コ ko [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/こ.mp3″] |
| sa | サ sa [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/さ.mp3″] | シ shi [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/し.mp3″] | ス su [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/す.mp3″] | セ se [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/せ.mp3″] | ソ so [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/そ.mp3″] |
| ta | タ ta [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/た.mp3″] | チ chi [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ち.mp3″] | ツ tsu [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/つ.mp3″] | テ te [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/て.mp3″] | ト to [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/と.mp3″] |
| na | ナ na [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/な.mp3″] | ニ ni [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/に.mp3″] | ヌ nu [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぬ.mp3″] | ネ ne [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ね.mp3″] | ノ no [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/の.mp3″] |
| ha | ハ ha [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/は.mp3″] | ヒ 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″] | ホ ho [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ほ.mp3″] |
| ma | マ ma [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ま.mp3″] | ミ mi [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/み.mp3″] | ム mu [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/む.mp3″] | メ me [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/め.mp3″] | モ mo [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/も.mp3″] |
| ya | ヤ ya [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/や.mp3″] | ユ yu [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ゆ.mp3″] | ヨ yo [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/よ.mp3″] | ||
| ra | ラ ra [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ら.mp3″] | リ ri [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/り.mp3″] | ル ru [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/る.mp3″] | レ re [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/れ.mp3″] | ロ ro [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ろ.mp3″] |
| wa | ワ wa [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/わ.mp3″] | ヲ wo [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/を.mp3″] | |||
| ｎ | ン 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 カ(ka), サ(sa), タ(ta), and ハ(ha) rows. Dakuon is usually added to the right top of the letter.
- ジ and ヂ are pronounced the same as ji.
- ズ and ヅ are pronounced the same as zu.
a i u e o ga ガ
ga
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/が.mp3″]ギ
gi
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぎ.mp3″]グ
gu
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぐ.mp3″]ゲ
ge
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/げ.mp3″]ゴ
go
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ご.mp3″]za ザ
za
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ざ.mp3″]ジ
ji
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/じ.mp3″]ズ
zu
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ず.mp3″]ゼ
ze
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぜ.mp3″]ゾ
zo
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぞ.mp3″]da ダ
da
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/だ.mp3″]ヂ
di
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぢ.mp3″]ヅ
du
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/づ.mp3″]デ
de
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/で.mp3″]ド
do
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ど.mp3″]ba バ
ba
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ば.mp3″]ビ
bi
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/び.mp3″]ブ
bu
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぶ.mp3″]ベ
be
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/べ.mp3″]ボ
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 ハ(ha) row only.
a i u e o ha パ
pa
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぱ.mp3″]ピ
pi
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぴ.mp3″]プ
pu
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぷ.mp3″]ペ
pe
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぺ.mp3″]ポ
po
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぽ.mp3″]
Yoon(拗音)
- Addition of small ヤ(ya), ユ(yu), or ヨ(yo) to consonants is known as Yoon(拗音)
- Formula:
i-column letter + small ヤ(ya)、ユ(yu)、or ヨ(yo)~ya ~yu ~yo ki キャ
kya
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/きゃ.mp3″]キュ
kyu
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/きゅ.mp3″]キョ
kyo
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/きょ.mp3″]shi シャ
sha
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/しゃ.mp3″]シュ
shu
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/しゅ.mp3″]ショ
sho
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/しょ.mp3″]chi チャ
cya
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ちゃ.mp3″]チュ
cyu
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ちゅ.mp3″]チョ
cyo
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ちょ.mp3″]ni ニャ
nya
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/みゃ.mp3″]ニュ
nyu
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/みゅ.mp3″]ニョ
nyo
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/みょ.mp3″]hi ヒャ
hya
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ひょ.mp3″]ヒュ
hyu
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ひゅ.mp3″]ヒョ
hyo
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ひょ.mp3″]mi ミャ
mya
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ま.mp3″]ミュ
myu
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/みゅ.mp3″]ミョ
myo
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/みょ.mp3″]ri リャ
rya
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/りゃ.mp3″]リュ
ryu
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/りゅ.mp3″]リョ
ryo
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/りょ.mp3″]gi ギャ
gya
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぎゃ.mp3″]ギュ
gyi
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぎゅ.mp3″]ギョ
gyo
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ひょ.mp3″]ji ジャ
ja
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/じゃ.mp3″]ジュ
ji
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/じゅ.mp3″]ジョ
jo
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/じょ.mp3″]di ヂャ
dya
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぢゃ.mp3″]ヂュ
dyu
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぢゅ.mp3″]ヂョ
dyo
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぢょ.mp3″]bi ビャ
bya
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/びゃ.mp3″]ビュ
byu
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/びゅ.mp3″]ビョ
byo
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/びょ.mp3″]pi ピャ
pya
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぴゃ.mp3″]ピュ
pyu
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://expressjapanese.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ぴゅ.mp3″]ピョ
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
To download the Free PDF of Katakana chart download button.
- To download the Free PDF of Katakana Practice book, please the download button.
- This e-book contains stroke order of all the katakana 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 Katakana alphabets as many times as you can until you become Perfect. And then you are ready to shift to JLPTN5 and learning Kanjis.