ア
a
ア
a
イ
i
イ
i
ウ
u
ウ
u
エ
e
エ
e
オ
o
オ
o
カ
ka
カ
ka
キ
ki
キ
ki
ク
ku
ク
ku
ケ
ke
ケ
ke
コ
ko
コ
ko
サ
sa
サ
sa
シ
shi
シ
shi
ス
su
ス
su
セ
se
セ
se
ソ
so
ソ
so
タ
ta
タ
ta
チ
chi
チ
chi
ツ
tsu
ツ
tsu
テ
te
テ
te
ト
to
ト
to
ナ
na
ナ
na
ニ
ni
ニ
ni
ヌ
nu
ヌ
nu
ネ
ne
ネ
ne
ノ
no
ノ
no
ハ
ha
ハ
ha
ヒ
hi
ヒ
hi
フ
fu
フ
fu
ヘ
he
ヘ
he
ホ
ho
ホ
ho
マ
ma
マ
ma
ミ
mi
ミ
mi
ム
mu
ム
mu
メ
me
メ
me
モ
mo
モ
mo
ヤ
ya
ヤ
ya
-
-
-
-
ユ
yu
ユ
yu
-
-
-
-
ヨ
yo
ヨ
yo
ラ
ra
ラ
ra
リ
ri
リ
ri
ル
ru
ル
ru
レ
re
レ
re
ロ
ro
ロ
ro
ワ
wa
ワ
wa
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
ヲ
wo
ヲ
wo
ン
n
ン
n
Dakuten
Dakuten
For the most part, if you know hiragana's dakuten, you know katakana's dakuten. Just as a refresher:
For the most part, if you know hiragana's dakuten, you know katakana's dakuten. Just as a refresher:
K → G
K → G
カ
カ
ka
ka
ガ
ガ
ga
ga
キ
キ
ki
ki
ギ
ギ
gi
gi
ク
ク
ku
ku
グ
グ
gu
gu
ケ
ケ
ke
ke
ゲ
ゲ
ge
ge
コ
コ
ko
ko
ゴ
ゴ
go
go
S → Z
S → Z
サ
サ
sa
sa
ザ
ザ
za
za
シ
シ
shi
shi
ジ
ジ
ji
ji
ス
ス
su
su
ズ
ズ
zu
zu
セ
セ
se
se
ゼ
ゼ
ze
ze
ソ
ソ
so
so
ゾ
ゾ
zo
zo
T → D
T → D
タ
タ
ta
ta
ダ
ダ
da
da
チ
チ
chi
chi
ヂ
ヂ
di
di
ツ
ツ
tsu
tsu
ヅ
ヅ
du
du
テ
テ
te
te
デ
デ
de
de
ト
ト
to
to
ド
ド
do
do
H → B
H → B
ハ
ハ
ha
ha
バ
バ
ba
ba
ヒ
ヒ
hi
hi
ビ
ビ
bi
bi
フ
フ
fu
fu
ブ
ブ
bu
bu
ヘ
ヘ
he
he
ベ
ベ
be
be
ホ
ホ
ho
ho
ボ
ボ
bo
bo
Han-Dakuten
Han-Dakuten
H → P
H → P
ハ
ハ
ha
ha
パ
パ
pa
pa
ヒ
ヒ
hi
hi
パ
パ
pi
pi
フ
フ
fu
fu
プ
プ
pu
pu
ヘ
ヘ
he
he
ペ
ペ
pe
pe
ホ
ホ
ho
ho
ポ
ポ
po
po
But, there are some katakana out there that you can dakuten that aren't the standard fare.
ウ → ヴ (VU/BU)
Actually, many Japanese speakers aren't used to pronouncing the "V" sound, so it often comes out as a "BU" sound. That's as close as they can get. But, when you combine that with some small katakana (next section), we can make a sound that almost, but not quite, sounds like a "V".
But, there are some katakana out there that you can dakuten that aren't the standard fare.
ウ → ヴ (VU/BU)
Actually, many Japanese speakers aren't used to pronouncing the "V" sound, so it often comes out as a "BU" sound. That's as close as they can get. But, when you combine that with some small katakana (next section), we can make a sound that almost, but not quite, sounds like a "V".
Combination Katakana
Combination Katakana
Just like with hiragana, you can combine small katakana with big katakana to make new sounds. It gets a little trickier with katakana though. Let's start with the part you do know (from the hiragana guide) first.
Just like with hiragana, you can combine small katakana with big katakana to make new sounds. It gets a little trickier with katakana though. Let's start with the part you do know (from the hiragana guide) first.
キャ、キュ、キョ = KYA, KYU, KYO
ギャ、ギュ、ギョ = GYA, GYU, GYO
シャ、シュ、ショ = SHA, SHU, SHO
ジャ、ジュ、ジョ = JYA, JYU, JYO (or JA, JU, JO)
チャ、チュ、チョ = CHA, CHU, CHO
ヂャ、ヂュ、ヂョ = JYA, JYU, JYO (If you're typing, write DYA, DYU, DYO.)
ニャ、ニュ、ニョ = NYA, NYU, NYO
ヒャ、ヒュ、ヒョ = HYA, HYU, HYO
ビャ、ビュ、ビョ = BYA, BYU, BYO
ピャ、ピュ、ピョ = PYA, PYU, PYO
ミャ、ミュ、ミョ = MYA, MYU, MYO
リャ、リュ、リョ = RYA, RYU, RYO
キャ、キュ、キョ = KYA, KYU, KYO
ギャ、ギュ、ギョ = GYA, GYU, GYO
シャ、シュ、ショ = SHA, SHU, SHO
ジャ、ジュ、ジョ= JYA, JYU, JYO (or JA, JU, JO)
チャ、チュ、チョ = CHA, CHU, CHO
ヂャ、ヂュ、ヂョ = JYA, JYU, JYO (If you're typing, write DYA, DYU, DYO.)
ニャ、ニュ、ニョ = NYA, NYU, NYO
ヒャ、ヒュ、ヒョ = HYA, HYU, HYO
ビャ、ビュ、ビョ = BYA, BYU, BYO
ピャ、ピュ、ピョ = PYA, PYU, PYO
ミャ、ミュ、ミョ = MYA, MYU, MYO
リャ、リュ、リョ = RYA, RYU, RYO
With katakana, combinations don't stop here. It gets… weird.
In addition to the basic combination katakana above (which are I-row sounds + ャ/ュ/ョ), you can combine some of the U-row sounds and the small vowels ァィゥェォ. This is used a lot more in katakana than hiragana because there are many sounds commonly used in non-Japanese languages that katakana needs to try to account for. The most interesting example of this is the V-sounds: ヴ + small vowels.
With katakana, combinations don't stop here. It gets… weird.
In addition to the basic combination katakana above (which are I-row sounds + ャ/ュ/ョ), you can combine some of the U-row sounds and the small vowels ァィゥェォ. This is used a lot more in katakana than hiragana because there are many sounds commonly used in non-Japanese languages that katakana needs to try to account for. The most interesting example of this is the V-sounds: ヴ + small vowels.
ヴァ = BWA (VA)
ヴィ = BWI (VI)
ヴェ = BWE (VE)
ヴォ = BWO (VO)
ヴァ = BWA (VA)
ヴィ = BWI (VI)
ヴェ = BWE (VE)
ヴォ = BWO (VO)
These combination katakana are used for representing V-sounds (like, "visual" can be written as ヴィジュアル). Since the V-sounds don't really exist in the Japanese language, ヴァ, ヴィ, ヴェ, and ヴォ sound more like the BW-sounds.
In addition to this, there are W-sounds that need to be added in as well. As you know, the kana only cover わ and を, and を isn't really a sound that's used, it's only used as a particle. So, to make up for the missing W-sounds, you combine ウ + small vowels.
These combination katakana are used for representing V-sounds (like, "visual" can be written as ヴィジュアル). Since the V-sounds don't really exist in the Japanese language, ヴァ, ヴィ, ヴェ, and ヴォ sound more like the BW-sounds.
In addition to this, there are W-sounds that need to be added in as well. As you know, the kana only cover わ and を, and を isn't really a sound that's used, it's only used as a particle. So, to make up for the missing W-sounds, you combine ウ + small vowels.
ウィ = WI like "window"
ウェ = WE like "Wednesday"
ウォ = WO like "worry" (Type UXO)
ウィ = WI like "window"
ウェ = WE like "Wednesday"
ウォ = WO like "worry" (Type UXO)
The third big set is F-sounds. You can combine フ + small vowels to make all the other F-sounds you need.
The third big set is F-sounds. You can combine フ + small vowels to make all the other F-sounds you need.
ファ = FA like "fax"
フィ = FI like "fish"
フェ = FE like "fence"
フォ = FO like "fox"
ファ = FA like "fax"
フィ = FI like "fish"
フェ = FE like "fence"
フォ = FO like "fox"
And, there's also ツ + small vowels. This set is relatively less common, but is often used for transcribing Italian Z-sounds like モッツァレラ (Mozzarella) as well as Chinese TS- or TZ-sounds. Note that you use "ts" for typing.
And, there's also ツ + small vowels. This set is relatively less common, but is often used for transcribing Italian Z-sounds like モッツァレラ (Mozzarella) as well as Chinese TS- or TZ-sounds. Note that you use "ts" for typing.
ツァ = TZA/TSA (Type TSA)
ツィ = TZI/TSI (Type TSI)
ツェ = TZE/TSE (Type TSE)
ツォ = TZO/TSO (Type TSO)
ツァ = TZA/TSA (Type TSA)
ツィ = TZI/TSI (Type TSI)
ツェ = TZE/TSE (Type TSE)
ツォ = TZO/TSO (Type TSO)
Besides these sets, there are also a few more scattered sounds you can make with combination katakana. The rest are:
Besides these sets, there are also a few more scattered sounds you can make with combination katakana. The rest are:
シェ = SHE like "shell"
ジェ = JE like "jelly"
チェ = CHE like "check"
トゥ = TWU like "two"
ティ = TI like "party" (Type THI)
ドゥ = DWU like "dew"
ディ = DI like "candy" (Type DHI)
シェ = SHE like "shell"
ジェ = JE like "jelly"
チェ = CHE like "check"
トゥ = TWU like "two"
ティ = TI like "party" (Type THI)
ドゥ = DWU like "dew"
ディ = DI like "candy" (Type DHI)
Notice that these are not using sounds from the U-row, yet use the small vowels. Again, you see small vowels used in katakana far more often than you do in hiragana to represent sounds that the Japanese language doesn't traditionally have.
Notice that these are not using sounds from the U-row, yet use the small vowels. Again, you see small vowels used in katakana far more often than you do in hiragana to represent sounds that the Japanese language doesn't traditionally have.
Long Vowels
Long Vowels
Unlike hiragana, which deals with long vowels by adding more vowels to things, katakana has a special vowel extender character. Luckily it's very simple: a dash. ー
Unlike hiragana, which deals with long vowels by adding more vowels to things, katakana has a special vowel extender character. Luckily it's very simple: a dash. ー
When you see this, you'll just need to extend the vowel that it comes after. For example:
When you see this, you'll just need to extend the vowel that it comes after. For example:
チズ = chizu
チーズ = chiizu
ベコン = bekon
ベーコン = beekon
チズ = chizu
チーズ = chiizu
ベコン = bekon
ベーコン = beekon
The vowels are doubled for the sake of example, but really, what it sounds like is just a long smooth extended sound, rather than repeated vowels — like "cheese" and "bacon." In fact, チーズ and ベーコン are how you write "cheese" and "bacon" in katakana.
Now, take a guess and read: ベーコンチーズバーガー.
…That's "beekon chiizu baagaa (bacon cheese burger)." You can now read "bacon cheese burger" on menu written in Japanese! 🍔
The vowels are doubled for the sake of example, but really, what it sounds like is just a long smooth extended sound, rather than repeated vowels — like "cheese" and "bacon." In fact, チーズ and ベーコン are how you write "cheese" and "bacon" in katakana.
Now, take a guess and read: ベーコンチーズバーガー.
…That's "beekon chiizu baagaa (bacon cheese burger)." You can now read "bacon cheese burger" on menu written in Japanese! 🍔