Let's Learn Some More Japanese!

Due to demands from certain guild members *cough*, I have decided to post a version of my learning kanji thread for hiragana and katakana, or collectively referred to as "kana".

Japanese is comprised of 3 alphabets: hiragana, katakana, and kanji.

Hiragana is a phonetic alphabet, meaning each letters represents a sound. This alphabet is used to write words originating from the Japanese language.

Katakana is also a phonetic alphabet, but this one is used for words borrowed from other languages. The large majority of these borrowed words are from English, but not all.

Kanji is a logographic alphabet, meaning that each letter represents a word or concept. Due to this logographic nature, there are far more kanji than the other two alphabets.

Technically, one could write Japanese entirely in kana. However, it looks very unsophisticated and childish. As one learns kanji, hiragana should be replaced by the proper kanji for the words that use them.

For example: わたしのしゅっしんはあめりかです。 [watashi no shusshin wa amerika desu.]
becomes: わたしのしゅっしんはアメリカです。　amerika is a "borrowed" word, so is put in katakana.
Next: 私の出身はアメリカです。　Swap out "watashi" for the kanji for the word. Swap out "shusshin" for the kanji of the word.
And now it is written properly.

As you can see, kana are still used for certain words, so they are important to know.

We'll start with the hiragana. We'll do 5 at time for these, since they are easier than kanji. We'll go in alphabetical order.

The rules for writing these characters are the same as kanji, so please refer to that thread for further information.

あ = a
い = i
う = u
え = e
お = o

出身 means where you were born, I believe.

For え, the beginning and end of the second stroke should be aligned vertically. Meaning, the end should be under the beginning and not off to the right.

か = ka
き = ki
く = ku
け = ke
こ = ko



Note: When typing, き looks connected. However, when handwriting it they are not. The stroke order chart shows the disconnected version. Typed font isn't always a perfect representation of Japanese letters.

さ = sa
し = shi
す = su
せ = se
そ　＝ so


Note: there is no "si" in Japanese. It is always "shi"



Also, by adding what is called a "dakuten", this row can be changed from the voiceless "s" to the voiced versions.

ざ = za
じ = ji
ず = zu
ぜ = ze
ぞ = zo

This is also true for the previous line, the "k" line.

が = ga
ぎ = gi
ぐ = gu
げ = ge
ご = go

た = ta
ち = chi
つ = tsu
て = te
と = to

Note: there is not "ti" or "tu" in native Japanese. It's "chi" and "tsu", respectively.

Also, a small version of つ, or っ , is called a sokuon. It is not pronounced as "tsu", but rather as a glottal stop (a short silence). さか [saka] and さっか [sakka] are pronounced differently.



Also

だ = da
ぢ = di/zi/ji
づ = dzu
で = de
ど = do

Note: ぢ　is hardly ever used. I've certainly never seen it. づ is also fairly rare.

な = na
に = ni
ぬ = nu
ね = ne
の = no

は = ha
ひ = hi
ふ = fu
へ = he
ほ = ho

Note: There is no "hu" sound. It becomes "fu".



Also

ば = ba
び = bi
ぶ = bu
べ = be
ぼ = bo

Also, this one line of hiragana can have what is called the "handakuten" added to it. You'll get these sounds:

ぱ = pa
ぴ = pi
ぷ = pu
ぺ = pe
ぽ = po

Note: The dakuten is colloquially referred to as 転々　[tenten], which means "dot-dot". The handakuten is referred to as 丸　[maru], which means "circle".

ま = ma
み = mi
む = mu
め = me
も = mo

や = ya
ゆ = yu
よ = yo



Note that there is no "yi" or "ye"

ら = ra
り = ri
る = ru
れ = re
ろ = ro



Note: In Japanese, the "r" sound is closest to what is called the alveolar flap in English. You hear this sound in words like "butter" and "ladder", where the "t" and "d" aren't fully enunciated and you just flap the tongue at the top of the mouth. Try using this flap when saying the Japanese "r" and your pronunciation will greatly improve!

わ = wa
を = wo/o
ん = n (sometimes m)

Note: を is only used as a particle (marks a direct object), and is often pronounced as "o". When typing though, type it as "wo", or it'll write お.



With this, we have finished the hiragana! Woo!  

So before we move on to katakana, let's learn about glides.

Glides are created by combining a sound and や,　ゆ, or よ. These glides count as 1 syllable. So, kyo is not "ki-o", but "kyo" all together.

きゃ = kya
きゅ = kyu
きょ = kyo

ぎゃ = gya
ぎゅ = gyu
ぎょ = gyo

しゃ = sha
しゅ = shu
しょ = sho

じゃ = jya
じゅ = jyu
じょ = jyo

ちゃ = cha
ちゅ = chu
ちょ = cho

にゃ = nya
にゅ = nyu
にょ = nyo

ひゃ = hya
ひゅ = hyu
ひょ = hyo

びゃ = bya
びゅ = byu
びょ = byo

ぴゃ = pya
ぴゅ = pyu
ぴょ = pyo

みゃ = mya
みゅ = myu
みょ = myo

りゃ = rya
りゅ = ryu
りょ = ryo

Time for some katakana! Woo~

ア = a
イ = i
ウ = u
エ = e
オ = o

カ = ka
キ = ki
ク = ku
ケ = ke
コ = ko



Also,

ガ = ga
ギ = gi
グ = gu
ゲ = ge
ゴ = go

サ = sa
シ = shi
ス = su
セ = se
ソ = so



Also,

ザ = za
ジ = ji
ズ = zu
ゼ = ze
ゾ = zo

タ = ta
チ = chi
ツ = tsu
テ = te
ト = to



Also,

ダ = da
ヂ = di/zi/ji
ヅ = dzu
デ = de
ド = do

Note: シ [shi] and　ツ [tsu] are different. シ has the strokes from the left hand side, while ツ starts from the top. Check the stroke order and directions, it helps to see the difference.

ナ = na
ニ = ni
ヌ = nu
ネ = ne
ノ = no

ハ = ha
ヒ = hi
フ = fu
ヘ = he
ホ = ho



Also,

バ = ba
ビ = bi
ブ = bu
ベ = be
ボ = bo

パ = pa
ピ = pi
プ = pu
ペ = pe
ポ = po

マ = ma
ミ = mi
ム = mu
メ = me
モ = mo



A mnemonic for you: マ [ma] opens to the bottom, like an A.　ム [mu] opens to the top, like a U.

ヤ = ya
ユ = yu
ヨ = yo

ラ = ra
リ = ri
ル = ru
レ = re
ロ = ro

ワ = wa
ヲ = (w)o
ン = n/m



Note: I've never seen anyone use ヲ before.  I'm guessing it's rare.

And now for glides with katakana!

キャ = kya
キュ = kyu
キョ = kyo

ギャ = gya
ギュ = gyu
ギョ = gyo

シャ = sha
シュ = shu
ショ = sho

ジャ = jya
ジュ = jyu
ジョ = jyo

チャ = cha
チュ = chu
チョ = cho

ニャ = nya
ニュ = nyu
ニョ = nyo

ヒャ = hya
ヒュ = hyu
ヒョ = hyo

ビャ = bya
ビュ = byu
ビョ = byo

ピャ = pya
ピュ = pyu
ピョ = pyo

ミャ = mya
ミュ = myu
ミョ = myo

リャ = rya
リュ = ryu
リョ = ryo

Also, some new combinations are used in katakana to simulate sounds that Japanese does not natively have. For example, the "ti" sound becomes ティ.  The small vowel indicates the change in "te" to "ti".

Another thing to note is the difference on how to elongate sounds in hiragana and katakana.  In hiragana, the sound is written out, such as in やさしい　[yasashii], おおきい [ookii] , or びよういん [biyouin] (also note that the long "o" sound is usually written as "ou").  In katakana, the vowel is elongated by a dash, such as in ニューヨーク [nyuuyooku], パーティ [paati], or ラーメン [raamen]. 

And with this we have finished both hiragana and katakana.

Should you wish to practice, you can use flashcards or quizzes.  There are bunch on the internet, such as at this website.  There are probably apps for phones and tablets as well, though I have not looked into them.