_Introduction to Japanese Writing System is here
Katakana (片仮名)
Katakana, like Hiragana, are a syllabary; Katakana are primarily used to write foreign words and names, loanwords, onomatopoeia, scientific names, and sometimes to replace Kanji or Hiragana for emphasis. For example "Australia" has been adapted as Ōsutoraria (オーストラリア), and "supermarket" has been adapted and shortened into sūpā (スーパー). The Latin alphabet (in Japanese referred to as Rōmaji (ローマ字), literally "Roman letters")) is used for some loan words like "CD" and "DVD", and also for some Japanese creations like "Sony".
Below is the summary of the use of Katagana
*foreign words, borrowed words, Japanized English
*foreign names and place-names
*technical and scientific words
*names of animals, plants, etc.
*onomatopoeia
*indication of the reading of kanji
Katakana like Hiragana only has 46 basic characters and each characters has only a single pronunciation.
Below is the table of the 46 ( with 2 obsolete--'wi' and 'we') basic characters of Katakana. It also shows the method for writing each Katakana character. It is arranged in the traditional way, beginning top right and reading columns down (a, i, u, e, o, ka, ki, ku,...).
The numbers and arrows indicate the stroke order and direction respectively. When you practicing try to follow the stroke and direction as it is outlined.
I suggest you try to learn to write the characters in a set of 5, for example column (a, i, u, e, o).
_ Watch the animation lessons on these characters here.
And that's All the Katagana , but that's not ALL...
There are more sounds in Japanese than just the 46 Katagana. In order to make the other sounds, like Hiragana, all you have to do is take the Katagana you have learned above and 1) add a 'ten ten', 2) add a 'maru' or 3) use a small ゃya, ゅyu or ょyo. We will look at each one briefly:
PART ONE - ADDING THE 'TEN TEN' and 'MARU'
How to make the 'ten-ten' letters. A 'ten-ten' is like a double- quote (") It changes the sound of the letter to a harder sound. You can ONLY 'ten-ten' the 'k' column (kaカ, kiキ, kuク, keケ, koコ), the 's' column (saサ, siシ, suス, seセ, soソ), the 't' column (taタ, chi(ti)チ, tsu(tu)ツ, teテ, toト) and the 'h' column (haハ, hiヒ, huフ, heヘ, hoホ).
The circle '゜' is called a 'maru' and changes the 'h‘ column (haハ, hiヒ, huフ, heヘ, hoホ) to a 'P‘ sound. After studying the chart and repeating (outloud) many times, it should start to seem natural to you.
Now look at the chart below. You will see that
And that's All the Katagana , but that's not ALL...
There are more sounds in Japanese than just the 46 Katagana. In order to make the other sounds, like Hiragana, all you have to do is take the Katagana you have learned above and 1) add a 'ten ten', 2) add a 'maru' or 3) use a small ゃya, ゅyu or ょyo. We will look at each one briefly:
PART ONE - ADDING THE 'TEN TEN' and 'MARU'
How to make the 'ten-ten' letters. A 'ten-ten' is like a double- quote (") It changes the sound of the letter to a harder sound. You can ONLY 'ten-ten' the 'k' column (kaカ, kiキ, kuク, keケ, koコ), the 's' column (saサ, siシ, suス, seセ, soソ), the 't' column (taタ, chi(ti)チ, tsu(tu)ツ, teテ, toト) and the 'h' column (haハ, hiヒ, huフ, heヘ, hoホ).
The circle '゜' is called a 'maru' and changes the 'h‘ column (haハ, hiヒ, huフ, heヘ, hoホ) to a 'P‘ sound. After studying the chart and repeating (outloud) many times, it should start to seem natural to you.
Now look at the chart below. You will see that
- the 'K カ' column becomes 'G ガ' (still the same good カka only with a ten-ten ("); notice it is a harder sound)
- the 'S サ' column becomes 'Z ザ' (again harder sound)
- the 'T タ' column becomes 'D ダ'
- the 'H ハ' column becomes 'B バ' or 'P パ' ('B' is with a ten-ten (ex. バba) and 'P' is with a circle (ex. ぱpa))
a |
i |
u |
e |
o |
|
k→g | ga-ガ | gi-ギ | gu-グ | ge-ゲ | go-ゴ |
s→z | za-ザ | ji-ジ | zu-ズ | ze-ゼ | zo-ゾ |
t→d | da-ダ | ji-ヂ | zu-ヅ | de-デ | do-ド |
h→b | ba-バ | bi-ビ | bu-ブ | be-ベ | bo-ボ |
h→p | pa-パ | pi-ピ | pu-プ | pe-ペ | po-ポ |
PART TWO - Combinations
Usually easy... BASE + a smaller ャya, ュyu, or ョyo
(Combinations are formed using only ya ャ, yu ュ, and yoョ 'helpers' and the i row (kiキ, shi シ, chiチ, ni ニ, hi ヒ, mi ミ, ri リ))
Example: キki + ヤya = キヤkya
(be careful with the boldfaced ones sha, shu, sho, cha, chu, cho)
Usually easy... BASE + a smaller ャya, ュyu, or ョyo
(Combinations are formed using only ya ャ, yu ュ, and yoョ 'helpers' and the i row (kiキ, shi シ, chiチ, ni ニ, hi ヒ, mi ミ, ri リ))
Example: キki + ヤya = キヤkya
(be careful with the boldfaced ones sha, shu, sho, cha, chu, cho)
+ヤ
ya |
+ユ
yu |
+ヨ
yo |
|
キ ki + | キャ
kya |
キュ kyu | キョ kyo |
シ shi(si) + | シャ sha | シュ shu | ショ sho |
チ chi(ti) + | チャ cha | チュ chu | チョ cho |
ニ ni + | ニャ nya | ニュ nyu | ニョ nyo |
ヒ hi + | ヒャ hya | ヒュ hyu | ヒョ hyo |
ミ mi + |
ミャ
mya |
ミュ
myu |
ミョ
myo |
リ ri + |
リャ rya | リュ
ryu |
リョ
ryo |
+ヤ
ya |
+ユ
yu |
+ヨ
yo |
|
ギ gi + | ギャ
gya |
ギュ gyu | ギョ gyo |
ジ ji + | ジャ ja | ジュ ju | ジョ jo |
ビ bi + | ビ ャ bya | ビ ュ byu | ビ ョ byo |
ピ pi + | ピャ pya | ピュ pyu | ピョ pyo |
Again watch the animation lesson here.
PART THREE - Small tsu(tu)ッ
One more thing... You have learned ッtsu (tu) - But sometimes it appears smaller than other letters. This causes a slight pause or break between syllables. For example, in English we say a slight pause after "book" in "booK Club".
Example: ザッシzasshi (magazine) pronounced "za - shi". In romaji it is usually written by repeating the next consonant as with 'zaSShi.'
PART FOUR - TOKUSHUON (特殊音)
Katakana of the unique pronunciation. These are used mainly for the pronunciation of borrowed words.
Table below shows all of these possible pronunciation.
PART THREE - Small tsu(tu)ッ
One more thing... You have learned ッtsu (tu) - But sometimes it appears smaller than other letters. This causes a slight pause or break between syllables. For example, in English we say a slight pause after "book" in "booK Club".
Example: ザッシzasshi (magazine) pronounced "za - shi". In romaji it is usually written by repeating the next consonant as with 'zaSShi.'
PART FOUR - TOKUSHUON (特殊音)
Katakana of the unique pronunciation. These are used mainly for the pronunciation of borrowed words.
Table below shows all of these possible pronunciation.
_ The complete table of Katagana Characters.
Finally, I can conclude our study of the Katagana lessons. For your reference, I have included a complete table of Katagana characters. Please note that the Tokushuon (特殊音) is not included. I know it's hard for most of you to remember all these alien characters, but with practice and patient you will be able to master them. Practice makes perfect.
P.S. To view the larger version of the table, please use the "ZOOM IN" function of your browser's "VIEW" tab.
Finally, I can conclude our study of the Katagana lessons. For your reference, I have included a complete table of Katagana characters. Please note that the Tokushuon (特殊音) is not included. I know it's hard for most of you to remember all these alien characters, but with practice and patient you will be able to master them. Practice makes perfect.
P.S. To view the larger version of the table, please use the "ZOOM IN" function of your browser's "VIEW" tab.
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Combinations
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