Let’s Learn Japanese with

Hiragana and Katakana

Let’s Learn Japanese with
Hiragana and Katakana

By

Masumi Kai

Illustrations by Ms. Yi-Wei Chiu

Let’s Learn Japanese with Hiragana and Katakana, by

Masumi Kai

This book first published 2013

Cambridge Scholars Publishing

12 Back Chapman Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 2XX, UK

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for

this book is available from the British Library

Copyright © 2013 by Masumi Kai

All rights for this book reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise,
without the prior permission of the copyright owner.

ISBN (10): 1-4438-4659-7, ISBN (13): 978-1-4438-4659-2

T​ABLE OF ​C​ONTENTS
Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................................................................... vii

Part One: Hiragana Practice ​ひらがな れんしゅう

Japanese Characters ....................................................................................................................................................... 2

Basic Sounds ................................................................................................................................................................. 4
Voiced Sounds and P-sounds ........................................................................................................................................ 5
Y-sounds ........................................................................................................................................................................ 6
Practice Writing ............................................................................................................................................................. 7
Voiced Sounds and P-sounds ...................................................................................................................................... 17
Stopped Sounds ........................................................................................................................................................... 22
Long vowels ................................................................................................................................................................ 23
Y-Sounds ..................................................................................................................................................................... 25
Practice 1 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 31
Practice 2 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 32
Practice 3 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 35
Practice 4 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 36
Practice 5 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 39
Practice 6 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 42
Practice 7 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 43
Practice 8 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 44
Practice 9 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 45

Part Two: Katakana Practice ​カタカナ れんしゅう

Basic sounds ................................................................................................................................................................ 48

Voiced sounds and Y-sounds ...................................................................................................................................... 49
Y-sounds ...................................................................................................................................................................... 49
Foreign sounds............................................................................................................................................................. 50
Practice Writing ........................................................................................................................................................... 51
Voiced Sounds and P-sounds ...................................................................................................................................... 62
Stopped Sounds ........................................................................................................................................................... 67
Long vowels ................................................................................................................................................................ 68
Y-Sounds ..................................................................................................................................................................... 70
Others .......................................................................................................................................................................... 72
Practice 1 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 74
Practice 2 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 75
Practice 3 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 77
Practice 4 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 78
Practice 5 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 79

A​CKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This book was published with the support of a grant from the University of Guam.

P​ART ​O​NE​:

H​IRAGANA ​P​RACTICE ​ひらがな れんしゅ

う
J​APANESE ​C​HARACTERS

History of Japanese characters:

The Japanese language has three kinds of characters; hiragana, katakana and kanji. The Chinese character,
kanji, was brought from China. It is thought to have been introduced around the third or fourth century,
although this has not been proved. Kanji, which is an ideogram character (to represent meanings), started to
be used as a phonogram (to represent sounds) called ​Manyo-kana.​ As kanji became more widely used, it
was simplified. This simplified form became hiragana. Hiragana has a roundish shape as shown below, and
it was considered to be the letters for private use and female use.

ex. ​安→ あ 以→ い 加→ か
Japanese word order and Chinese word order are different. Small size kanji (​kun’ten​)
were placed next to kanji to indicate the Japanese word order when reading classical
Chinese. Then it was simplified and became katakana. Many katakana were made
from a part of kanji as seen below. Katakana has rather straight lines.

ex. ​阿 →ア伊→イ加→カ
example
of ​kun’ten

How to use the three kinds of characters:

The three kinds of characters are used in different ways. Normally katakana is used for loanwords and
foreign names like ​koohii ​(coffee) or ​nyuuyooku (​ New York). Most content words are written using kanji.
Functional words like ​desu ​(to be), particles, and some Japanese origin words like ​oishii ​(tasty) are written
in hiragana. All three characters can be used in one sentence like below.

ex. ​彼 は ミ ラ ー さ ん で す。
kanji hiragana katakana hiragana hiragana ‘he’ topic marker ‘Miller’ ‘Mr.’ ‘is’

‘He is Mr.
Miller.’
 Japanese period and comma:

The Japanese language uses a ​maru ​(circle) at the end of sentences and ​ten ​(dot) for semantic separation in
a sentence. Traditionally Japanese does not use the question mark "?" for an interrogative sentence. Unlike
English there is no space between words. Instead a combination of the three kinds of characters can
indicate if it is a meaning word, a foreign word, or a functional word.

ex. ​明日の朝、トムさんに会います。
tomorrow of morning Tom Mr. with meet

‘Tomorrow morning, (I) will meet

Tom.’
Hiragana Practice ​ひらがな れんしゅう ​3
Roma-ji:
Roma-ji ​(romanized Japanese) is used to indicate the pronunciation of hiragana and katakana in this book. There
are two types of roma-ji; ​Hebon s​ ystem and Japanese system. Most are spelled the same, but a few are spelled
differently. Even though they are spelled differently, their pronunciations are the same. This textbook uses the
Hebon ​system.
Hebon ​system shi chi fu sha shu sho ja ji ju jo Japanese system si ti hu sya syu syo zya zi zyu zyo
Font type:

As in English, Japanese has several font types, some of which are a bit different. Below are examples. ​ex. ​ き
=
Stroke end:
There are three features at the stroke ends of hiragana, katakana, and kanji. One is ​tome (​ stop), the second is
hane ​(jump), and the third is ​harai (​ sweep).
ex.
tome

さ​=
hane

そ​=
ふ​= /
harai

ら​=
り​=
や​=
Part One 4
 B​ASIC ​S​OUNDS ​♪ ♫

aiueo​ あ ​ い ​ う ​ え ​ お ​ k ​か ​
a​ i​ u​ e​ o​ ka

き ​く ​け ​こ ​ さ ​し ​ す ​
ki ​ ku ​ ke ​ ko ​ s​ sa ​ shi ​ su

せ ​そ ​ た ​ち ​ つ ​ て ​と ​
se ​ so ​t​ ta ​ chi ​ tsu ​ te ​ to ​ n

な ​に ​ぬ ​ね ​の ​ は ​ひ ​
na ​ ni ​ nu ​ ne ​ no ​ h​ ha ​ hi

ふ ​ へ ​ ほ ​ mま
​
fu ​
​み​む​め he ​ ho ​ ma ​ mi ​ mu ​

me ​
も ​ や ​ (​い​) ​ゆ ​ (​え​) ​よ ​
mo ​y​ ya ​ yu ​ yo ​ r
ら ​ り ​ る ​ れ ​ ろ ​ w ​わ ​ (​い​)
ra ​ ri ​ ru ​ re ​ ro ​ wa ​

(​う​) (​え​) ​を ​ wo

(=o)

N​
ん​ n

Hiragana Practice ​ひらがな れんしゅう ​5

が​ぎ​ぐ​ ​ iueog​
V​OICED ​S​OUNDS AND ​P-S​OUNDS a ga ​ gi ​ gu

げ ​ ご ​ z ​ざ ​ じ ​ ず ​ ぜ ​ ぞ ​ d ​だ ​ ぢ ​
ge ​ go ​ za ​ ji ​ zu ​ ze ​ zo ​ da ​ ji

づ ​ で ​ ど ​ b ​ば ​ び ​ ぶ ​ べ ​ ぼ ​ p ​ぱ
zu ​ de ​ do ​ ba ​ bi ​ bu ​ be ​ bo ​

ぴ​ぷ​ぺ​ぽ​ pa ​ pi ​ pu ​ pe ​ po

Part One 6

きゃ ​ きゅ ​ きょ ​ gy
Y-S​OUNDS ​a u o ky ​ kya ​ kyu ​ kyo ​

ぎゃ ​ ぎゅ ​ ぎょ ​ sh ​しゃ ​ しゅ ​
gya ​ gyu ​ gyo ​ sha ​ shu

しょ ​ j ​じゃ ​ じゅ ​ じょ ​ ch ち
​ ゃ​
sho ​ ja ​ ju ​ jo ​ cha
 ちゅ ​ ちょ ​ ny ​にゃ ​ にゅ ​ にょ ​ hy
chu ​ cho ​ nya ​ nyu ​ nyo ​

ひゃ ​ ひゅ ​ ひょ ​ by ​びゃ ​ びゅ ​
hya ​ hyu ​ hyo ​ bya ​ byu

びょ ​ my ​みゃ ​ みゅ ​ みょ ​ ry ​りゃ ​
byo ​ mya ​ myu ​ myo ​ rya

りゅ ​ りょ ​ py ​ぴゃ ​ ぴゅ ​ ぴょ ​
ryu ​ ryo ​ pya ​ pyu ​ pyo

Listen to CD Lesson 1
for the sounds and the
stroke order.

P​RACTICE ​W​RITING
write!

あ
a ​to ​o ​

Let’s read and

 あおい うえ え いえ

blue above painting house ​ あおいうええいえ

Now you can write words using hiragana. Let’s try.

1) blue painting 2) blue house

あおいえあおいいえ
aoieaoiie

い​ i
い
う​ u
う
え​ e
え
お​ o
お
 Hiragana Practice ​ひらがな れんしゅう ​7

What is
Part One 8

ka ​to ​ko ​
か​ ka

Let’s read and write!

あかい えき き いけ ここ
red station tree/wood pond here ​ あかいえききいけここ
Let’s write a sentence. ​In the sentence below, ​は ​(​wa)​ is a topic marker meaning ‘as far as’, and ​です​(​desu​)
corresponds to ‘is’ in English. ​は ​is read as ‘wa’ when it is used as a topic marker. The Japanese period is a small
circle ‘​。​’ at the lower left hand corner. Note that the Japanese word order is ‘Topic ​は ​noun ​です。​’. Also notice
that the Japanese word order is ‘Topic ​は ​noun ​です。​’.
1) (You are showing your friend around town)

Here is the station. ​ここはえきです。

ko ko wa e ki de su

き​ ki

く ​く ​ ku

く く ​け ​ ke

こ​ ko

かかか
ききき
けけけ
こここ
Now try CD L2 part 1 & L3 part 1.
What is wrong?

さ​
sa ​to ​so ​ sa

そそそ
Let’s read and write!
かさ おさけ いす せ そこ
umbrella alcohol chair height there

かさおさけいすせそこ
Let’s write words. ​In the second set of words below, ​の ​(​no)​ is a connector between two nouns.
1) red umbrella 2) wood chair

あかいかさきのいす
a ka i ka sa ki no i su

し​ shi

し し し ​す ​ su

せ ​せ ​ se

せせ
そ​ so

さささ
すすす
Hiragana Practice ​ひらがな れんしゅう ​9
What is wrong?
Part One 10

ta t​ o ​to

た​ ta
 write!

た
What is wrong?

Let’s read and

たかい ちかてつ つくえ て

high/expensive subway desk hand ​たかいちかてつつ

くえて
 そと した くつ

outside below/under shoes ​ そとしたく

つ
Let’s write words. ​In the second set of words below, be aware that ​つくえ​(​tsukue)​ ‘desk’ comes first in
Japanese, and ​の ​(​no​) is a connecter between two nouns.

1) expensive shoes 2) under the desk

たかいくつつくえのした
ta ka i ku tsu tsu ku e no shi su

ち​ chi
と
つ​ tsu

て​ te

と​ to

ちち
つつ
てて
 na t​ o ​no

な​ na

Let’s read and

write!

な
What is wrong?

Now try CD L2 part 2 & L3 part

 あなた さかな くに

You fish country ​ あなたさかなく

に
いぬ ねこ この

dog cat this ​ いぬねここの

Let’s write
words.
1) your dog 2) this cat
 あなたのいぬこのねこ
a na ta no i nu ko no ne ko

に​ ni
に
ぬ​ nu

ね​ ne ね
ぬ
の​ no Hiragana Practice ​ひらがな れんし

のの
Part One 12
write!
ha t​ o ​ho
は
は​ ha

Let’s read and

 はこ ひと ​さいふ ​へた ほし

box person wallet be poor at star ​ は こ ひ と ​さ い ふ ​へ た

ほし
Let’s write a word and a sentence. ​In the second sentence below, be aware
that the Japanese period is a small circle.

1) this person 2) (I) am poor at (something).

このひとへたです。
ko no hi to he ta de su

ひ ​ひ ​ hi
ふ
ひひ
へ ​へ ​ he

ふ​ fu
へ
 ほ​ ho

ほほ

Now try CD L2 part 3 & L3 part

ma t​ o ​mo

ま​ ma

Let’s read and write!

なまえ うみ むすめ あめ
name ocean daughter rain ​ なまえうみむすめあめ
もも かきます まち
peach to write/ to draw town/big city ​ももかきますまち
Let’s write words.
1) daughter’s name 2) blue ocean
 む す め の な ま え あ お い う み ​mu su me no na ma e a o i u mi
み ​み ​ mi

み み ​む ​ mu

め​ me

も​ mo

ままま
むむむ
めめめ
ももも
Hiragana Practice ​ひらがな れんしゅう ​13
What is wrong?
Part One 14
write!
ya ​to ​yo
や
What is wrong?

や​ ya

Let’s read and

 やま ゆき よみます へや

mountain snow to read room ​ やまゆきよみますへ

や
Let’s write a
word.
1) mountain snow 2) high mountain

やまのゆきたかいやま
ya ma no yu ki ta ka i ya ma

ゆ​ yu

よ​ yo

ゆゆ
よよ
 ら​ ra

Let’s read and

write!

ら Now try CD L2 part 4 & L3 part

4.
ra ​to ​ro

おてら くすり はる はれ しろい

 temple medicine spring clear sky white ​ おてら くすり は る は
れ しろい
Let’s write words. ​In the first set of words below, be aware that ​はる​(​haru​) ‘spring’ comes first in Japanese,
and ​の ​(​no​) is a connecter between two nouns. In the second set of words, ​と ​(​to)​ means ‘and’ in English and
connects nouns.

1) temple in
Spring

は る の お て ら ​ha
ru no o te ra

2) white medicine and blue medicine

しろいくすりとあおいくすり
shi ro i ku su ri to a o i ku su ri

り​ ri
る
る​ ru
れ
れ​ re
ろ
Hiragana Practice ​ひらがな れんし

ろ​ ro

りり
Part One 16
 write!
wa ​to ​n
わ
What is wrong?

わ​ wa

Let’s read and

わたし かわ なまえをかきます

I river to write a name ​わたしかわなまえをか

きます
ほん にほん せんもん しけん
 book Japan major exam ​ ほんにほんせんもんし
けん
Let’s write a sentence. ​In the second sentence below, ​を ​(​wo​) is a particle attached to an object noun. In this
case ​ほん ​(​hon)​ ‘book is an object noun. ​よみます ​(​yomimasu)​ means ‘to read’. Japanese word order is
Topic-Object-Verb.

1) my
major

わたしのせんもん
wa ta shi no se n mo n

2) I read a book.

わたしはほんをよみます。
wa ta shi wa ho n wo yo mi ma su

を​ wo

ん​ n

をを
んん
 Now try CD L2 part 5 & L3 part 5.

V​OICED ​S​OUNDS AND

P-S​OUNDS
Voiced sounds are indicated by basic hiragana with ​tenten (​ two short lines on
top).
ga ​to
go

ga gi gu ge go

Let’s read and

write!

まんが おんがく かぎ かぐ

comic music key furniture ​ まんがおんがくかぎ

かぐ
おみやげ にほんご ごご

souvenir Japanese language afternoon/PM ​ おみやげにほ

んごごご

Let’s write
words.
1) Japanese magazine (a magazine written in the Japanese language) 2) Japanese souvenir (a souvenir from a trip to Japan)
 にほんごのまんがにほんのおみやげ
ni ho n go no ma n ga ni ho n no o mi ya ge
Hiragana Practice ​ひらがな れんしゅう ​17
Part One 18

za ​to ​zo

za ji zu ze zo

Let’s read and

write!

かんざし かんじ ちず

hair clip kanji map ​ かんざしかんじち

ず

みず ごぜん かぞく

water AM family ​ みずごぜんかぞ

く
Let’s write a
sentence.
1) I write
kanji.

わたしはかんじをかきます。
wa ta shi wa ka n ji wo ka ki ma su

Now try CD L3 part 6.

da ​to
do

da ji zu de do

Let’s read and

write!

だいがく ともだち はなぢ

university friend bloody nose ​ だいがくともだち

はなぢ

みかづき でんわ どこ こども

 crescent moon telephone where child ​ みかづきでんわど
ここども
Let’s write a sentence. ​In the sentence below, ​か ​(​ka​) is a question marker attached to the end of the
question sentence. Be aware that the Japanese word order is ‘telephone-where-is’.

1) Where is the
telephone?

でんわはどこですか。
de n wa wa do ko de su ka
Hiragana Practice ​ひらがな れんしゅう ​19
Part One 20

ba ​to
bo

ba bi bu be bo

Let’s read and

write!

かばん えび しんぶん

bag shrimp news paper ​ かばんえびしんぶん

 たべます たんぼ

to eat rice field ​たべますたん

ぼ

Let’s write a
sentence.
1) I read a
newspaper.

わたしはしんぶんをよみます。
wa ta shi wa shi n bu n wo yo mi ma su

Now try CD L3 part 7.

pa ​to
po

pa pi pu pe po

Let’s read and

write!

かんぱい えんぴつ さんぷん

toast pencil three minutes

 かんぱいえんぴつさんぷん

*​ぺんぎん たんぽぽ

penguin dandelion ​ ぺんぎんたん

ぽぽ
Let’s write a sentence. ​In the sentence below, ​かいます
(​kaimasu​) means ‘to buy’.
1) I buy a
pencil.

わたしはえんぴつをかいます。
wa ta shi wa e n pi tsu wo ka i ma su
Note: This
word is usually
written in
katakana.
Hiragana Practice ​ひらがな れんしゅう ​21
 Now try CD L3 part 8
and L4 part 1 to part 6.
Part One 22
 S​TOPPED
S​OUNDS
Stopped sounds are indicated by small ‘​つ​’ (tsu). ‘​つ​’ is quarter size.

Let’s read and

write!

がっき きっぷ きって

musical instrument (transportation) ticket stamp ​ がっききっ

ぷきって
きっさてん ざっし

coffee shop/cafe magazine ​ きっさてんざ

っし
Let’s write a sentence. ​In the second sentence below, ​ひきます ​(​hikimasu​) means ‘to
play (musical instrument)’.

1) (I) buy a
stamp.

きってをかいます。
ki tte wo ka i ma su

2) I play a musical
instrument.

わたしはがっきをひきます。
wa ta shi wa ga kki wo hi ki ma su

つ
Now try CD L4 part 7.