カタカナ (Katakana)
Learning Objectives
- Read and write the 46 base Katakana characters.
- Understand how to use long vowel marks (ー).
- Identify and pronounce common loanwords (gairaigo).
Now that you know Hiragana, it’s time to learn Katakana. Katakana represents the exact same 46 sounds as Hiragana, but it is primarily used for foreign names, loanwords from other languages (like English or Portuguese), scientific terms, and sometimes for emphasis (similar to italics). Let’s dive into Katakana!
1. The 46 Base Characters
Just like Hiragana, Katakana is built on the same A, I, U, E, O vowel structure. You will notice that Katakana characters generally have sharper, straighter, and more angular lines compared to the curvy Hiragana.
| a (ア) | i (イ) | u (ウ) | e (エ) | o (オ) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K | カ ka | キ ki | ク ku | ケ ke | コ ko |
| S | サ sa | シ shi | ス su | セ se | ソ so |
| T | タ ta | チ chi | ツ tsu | テ te | ト to |
| N | ナ na | ニ ni | ヌ nu | ネ ne | ノ no |
| H | ハ ha | ヒ hi | フ fu | ヘ he | ホ ho |
| M | マ ma | ミ mi | ム mu | メ me | モ mo |
| Y | ヤ ya | ユ yu | ヨ yo | ||
| R | ラ ra | リ ri | ル ru | レ re | ロ ro |
| W/N | ワ wa | ヲ wo | ン n |
[!WARNING] Be careful with シ (shi) and ツ (tsu), as well as ソ (so) and ン (n). They look very similar! Look closely at the angle of the two small strokes and where the longer stroke starts.
2. Voiced Marks in Katakana
Just like Hiragana, Katakana uses Dakuten (゛) and Handakuten (゜) to modify consonant sounds.
パソ (paso) ＋ コン (kon)
pasokon
Personal Computer
ベッ (be) ＋ ド (do)
beddo
Bed
3. Long Vowels (ー)
In Katakana, long vowels are simply indicated by a straight line, called a chōonpu (ー). In horizontal writing, it is entirely horizontal. When you see it, hold the preceding vowel sound for double the length.
コーヒー
kōhī (ko-o-hi-i)
Coffee
Notice how the 'o' and 'i' sounds are extended for twice as long.
ケーキ
kēki (ke-e-ki)
Cake
4. Loanwords (Gairaigo)
Loanwords are words borrowed from other languages and adapted to fit Japanese phonetics. Because Japanese syllables almost always end in a vowel, English words can sound quite different.
| Word | Romaji | Meaning | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| パソコン | pasokon | Personal Computer (PC) | Noun |
| コンビニ | konbini | Convenience Store | Noun |
| スマホ | sumaho | Smartphone | Noun |
| ホテル | hoteru | Hotel | Noun |
| バス | basu | Bus | Noun |
[!TIP] Sometimes loanwords are shortened dramatically! “Personal Computer” becomes “Pasokon”, and “Smartphone” becomes “Sumaho”.
Chapter Summary
- 1Katakana is used for foreign words, loanwords, names, and emphasis.
- 2It contains the exact same 46 base sounds as Hiragana.
- 3Its strokes are generally sharper, straighter, and more angular.
- 4A straight line (ー) is used to indicate a long, extended vowel sound.
- 5Many English words exist in Japanese but are adapted to fit Japanese syllables.
Knowledge Check
Test your understanding of the Katakana writing system!
Quiz
What is Katakana primarily used for?