B 01

KATAKANA

How does
KATAKANA work?

Index
Useful Websites for Katakana learning

What is Katakana?
Katakana 1: Katakana
Characters
How does it work? How can I learn it? Quizzes

Katakana 2: Katakana Words

How do Katakana words work? Tips
Welcome to the Katakana World

Useful Websites for Katakana Learning

Okochama Yochien
Katakana drawing movies with sounds
http://okochama.jp/youtien/

What is Katakana?
Katakana is one of the three Japanese character
sets, along with Hiragana and Kanji. Here are
some examples of Katakana.

So, Katakana is a set of characters just like

Hiragana.
Katakana is used to spell words from overseas
(for Japan) such as Europe and America. In other
words, Katakana is used for loan/borrowed
words.
Can you think of any loan words in English?
Sushi, futon, karaoke are English loan words
from Japanese. English didnt have those
concepts so has spelt those words in English
characters as they sound in their original

What is Katakana?
Japanese does the same. They use loan words. The
following concepts, for example, didnt really exist in
Japan when they came into Japan.
original
words

Japanese
sounds

Japanese
spellings

kangaro
o
pizza

kangaru
u
piza

comput
er

kompuuta
a

in their
So they sounded out these words as they sound
original language. But in the Japanese sound system.

With spelling of those loan words, Japanese has

decided to use Katakana. So that they stand
out from Hiragana and Kanji and it makes
people go Wow, its a new thing!.

Katakana 1: Katakana characters

How does Katakana work?
Katakana works exactly the same as Hiragana.
Its in the same chart, each character
represents a syllable, and a set of 46
characters.
W

Katakana is pronounced exactly the same way

as Hiragana.

Katakana 1: Katakana characters

So, how can I learn Katakana?
Well, once youve learnt Hiragana, learning Katakana is so
much easier.
The word Katakana literally means a part of kana.
Most of the Katakana is made out of its partner Hiragana.
Some of Katanaka characters are even almost identical to
their partner Hiragana.

Hiragana
Ki

Hiragana
Ni

Take out a
part of it

Take out a
part of it

Now its
Katakana
Ki!

Now its
Katakana

Katakana 1: Katakana characters

Which ones are easy to learn?
So, here is a quick game! In ONE minute, find 16 Katakana
characters that are a part of their partner Hiragana (including
identical pairs).
* partner Hiragana
W R is aYHiragana
M that
H represents
N
Tthe same
S sound.
K

Katakana 1: Katakana characters

Which ones are easy to learn?
The ones in RED. Can you see the Katakana part in the
Hiragana? You might find even more.
W

e
o

H
R Y M

Katakana 1: Katakana characters

Which ones are easy to learn?
Lets put the pairs side by side so that we can see the part
clearer.
w
a

re

ri

ya

m
o

m
e

he

h
u

no ni

na se

ki

ka

So, youve already learnt about the half of the Katakana
characters already!
What about the other half? Well, you just need to learn them!
However, its still easier than learning Hiragana as Katakana
character strokes are straighter, simpler and less in number in
general.

Katakana 1: Katakana characters

Whats the difference?
Being simpler in shape, Katakana has some characters which
look very similar to each other. Check the tips to tell the
difference.

m
a
a goes Ah!
and the
tongue
pokes out.

su

nu

ku

na

ke

m
e
na has a straight line like

ke pokes out
everywhere
like its
Hiragana .

te

ch
i

its Hiragana . me is
all curvy like its Hiragana
.

ko

yu

w
a

Well, the difference is clear for these pairs. One pokes out
and the other doesnt!

Katakana 1: Katakana characters

Whats the difference?
Just two more pairs. Can you spot the
difference?

so

so : tick at
the top of the
longer stroke,
drawing topdown

so strokes
have more
angle

n
n strokes
are a little
flatter

n : tick at the
bottom of the
longer stroke,
drawing bottom-up

tsu

shi

So, the difference is same as the

so-n pair

Add one dot

to so and
now its tsu

Add one dot

to n and
now its shi

Quizzes

Which one is the Katakanas partner Hiragana?

na

ni

ri

mo

se

ka

he

ya

ki

no

hu

re

wa

me

so

shi

tsu

Katakana 2: Katakana Words

How do Katakana words work?
So, now youve learnt how Katakana characters work.
Lets put them together to spell some words.

Using the Katakana chart, lets sound out the two words
above. By the way, the tenten ( ) and maru( ) work
same for Hiragana and Katakana.

What about the dash/bar in those words?

A dash in Katakana elongates the vowel before. In

other words, it repeats the vowel before (without
a stop). See examples.

no

ru
u
o

ki

e
e

ka
a

Katakana 2: Katakana Words

How do Katakana words work?
So, lets find the meanings of the two words by sounding
them out.

shi do
i

ni

pa
su

So, its sidonii and paasu. Still not sure what they mean?
Repeat saying the words five times each. Dont they
sound like some words you are familiar with?
Remember, almost all of the Katakana words are from
English words. So, sidonii and paasu are from English.
One more hint. They are both names of some cities.
Yes, you are right! Sidonii is Sydney and paasu is Perth.
Thats how they say Sydny and Perth in the Japanese
sound system, writing in Katakana.

Katakana 2: Katakana Words

How do Katakana words work?
Lets try some more Katakana words. Sound out the words
first and then guess what they mean. How many can you
get right??

FOOD

pa su
ta

su te
ki

FASHION

past
a
stak
e

SPORT

coat

co o
to

se e
ta a

sweat
er

TECHNOLOGY
golf

go ru
hu

sa
k ka

te
bi

socce
r

TV

re

ko n p
yu u

ta a

comput
er

Katakana 2: Katakana Words

Tip1: Know the sound change
Found some words easy to figure out and some a bit
tricky? If you know how English sounds change in
Katakana words (the Japanese sound system), all
Katakana words are easy.

English
sound

le.g.
London

the.g.
thunder

ve.g.
Victoria

Katakana
sound

e.g.
(Rondon)

e.g.
(Sandaa)

e.g.
(Bikutoria)

Also, extra vowels are added to each consonant.

golf

(goruhu)

McDonald
s

(makudonaru
do)

Katakana 2: Katakana Words

Tip2: Know the types of Katakana words
Knowing what kind of vocabulary tend to be loan words
(= written in Katakana) also helps.
Countries & Cities: e.g. (Australia),
(New Zealand), (Melbourne),
(France), (Bangkok)
*Food:
China, Korea,
and most of(hamburger),
cities of them are written
in Kanji/ Hiragana.
e.g. Taiwan

(sandwich), (juice), (salad),

(ice cream)
Sports: e.g. (basketball),
(hockey), (soccer), (cricket),
(rugby)
Fashion: e.g. T (T-shirt), (bag),
(sneaker), (belt), (skirt)
Technology: e.g. (computer), (TV),
(video),
(internet), E (email),

Katakana 2: Katakana Words

Tip3: Know there other Katakana word
s
Knowing that there are other Katakana words, which wont sound
like any English words, therefore no change of guessing would also
helps you not to get stuck
not quite sound like it words: e.g. (igirisu =
England), (keeki = cake), (chiimu = team),
(rajio
= radio)words: From German - (arubaito = partNon English
time job), (doitsu = Germany) From French
(zubon
= trousers)
made-up
words: (karaoke),
(woshuretto = wash-let), (sarariiman = salary
worker)
Brand names: (Toyota), (Nintendo),
(Yamaha)
Shorten words: (pasokon = personal computer),
(eakon = air conditioner), (rimokon = remote
controller)
meant-to-be-in-Hiragana but in Katakana words: This
happens to make words standing out. Often food and animals.
e.g.
(inu =
dog),
apple)
Onomatopia:
(doki(ringo
doki ==heart
beating sound),
(gashan = glass breaking sound), (sura sura =
smooth expression)

Welcome to the Katakana World!

Do you want to try finding some real Katakana
words? Try the following website .
1. Can you find any Katakana word?
2. Can you sound them out?
3. Can you find meaning of the Katakana word?
Revise the tips all the time. Good luck and have
fun in the
Katakana world! Its full of Katakana!
Japan McDonalds
http://www.mcdonalds.co.jp/menu/regular/index.ht
ml

Japan Olympic Committee

http://www.joc.or.jp/sports/summer.html

Fashion store UNIQLO

http://www.uniqlo.com/jp/

Tokyo Disney Land

http://www.tokyodisneyresort.co.jp/tdl/