あ
Sounds like – ah
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い
Sounds like – ee
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う
Sounds like – ew
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え
Sounds like – eh
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お
Sounds like – oh
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か
Sounds like – ka
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き
Sounds like – kee
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く
Sounds like – koo
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け
Sounds like – keh
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こ
Sounds like – ko
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さ
Sounds like – sa
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し
Sounds like – she
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す
Sounds like – soo
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せ
Sounds like – se
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そ
Sounds like – so
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た
Sounds like – ta
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ち
Sounds like – chee
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つ
Sounds like – tsoo
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て
Sounds like – teh
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と
Sounds like – toe
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な
Sounds like – na
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に
Sounds like – nee
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ぬ
Sounds like – noo
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ね
Sounds like – neh
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の
Sounds like – no
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は
Sounds like – ha
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ひ
Sounds like – hee
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ふ
Sounds like – a very soft “fu” sound, like you’re blowing out a candle
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へ
Sounds like – heh
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ほ
Sounds like – ho
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ま
Sounds like – ma
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み
Sounds like – mee
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む
Sounds like – moo
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め
Sounds like – meh
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も
Sounds like – mo
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や
Sounds like – yah
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ゆ
Sounds like – yoo/you
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よ
Sounds like – yo
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ら
Sounds like something between ra and la
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り
Sounds like something between – ree and lee
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る
Sounds like something between – roo and loo
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れ
Sounds like something between – reh and leh
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ろ
Sounds like something between – ro and lo
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わ
Sounds like – wa
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を
Sounds like – wo/oh
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ん
Sounds like – n ending
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Additional Sounds
Although we have covered all the distinct characters in Hiragana, there are additional variations and sounds that still remain.
Voiced Consonants
In Japanese, some sounds get “voiced” by adding either:
- Dakuten (゛): Two small lines.
- Handakuten (゜): A small circle.
These marks are placed at the top-right corner of a character and change how it sounds. Think of it like flipping a switch to give the sound more energy or vibration.
Dakuten (゛): Two Lines
Dakuten turns “soft” sounds into “voiced” ones.
- K → G
- か (ka) → が (ga)
- S → Z
- さ (sa) → ざ (za)
- T → D
- た (ta) → だ (da)
- H → B
- は (ha) → ば (ba)
Example:
- か (ka) → が (ga): “ka” gets a buzz and becomes “ga.”
K → G
| Unvoiced | Voiced |
|---|---|
| か (ka) | が (ga) |
| き (ki) | ぎ (gi) |
| く (ku) | ぐ (gu) |
| け (ke) | げ (ge) |
| こ (ko) | ご (go) |
S → Z
| Unvoiced | Voiced |
|---|---|
| さ (sa) | ざ (za) |
| し (shi) | じ (ji) |
| す (su) | ず (zu) |
| せ (se) | ぜ (ze) |
| そ (so) | ぞ (zo) |
T → D
| Unvoiced | Voiced |
|---|---|
| た (ta) | だ (da) |
| ち (chi) | ぢ (ji)* |
| つ (tsu) | づ (zu)* |
| て (te) | で (de) |
| と (to) | ど (do) |
(*Note: ぢ (ji) and づ (zu) are rarely used in modern Japanese and usually appear in specific words or names.)
H → B
| Unvoiced | Voiced |
|---|---|
| は (ha) | ば (ba) |
| ひ (hi) | び (bi) |
| ふ (fu) | ぶ (bu) |
| へ (he) | べ (be) |
| ほ (ho) | ぼ (bo) |
Handakuten (゜): One Circle
Handakuten only applies to the H-line and changes:
- H → P
- は (ha) → ぱ (pa)
Example:
- は (ha) → ぱ (pa): “ha” becomes “pa” with a sharper sound.
H → P
| H-Sound | P-Sound |
|---|---|
| は (ha) | ぱ (pa) |
| ひ (hi) | ぴ (pi) |
| ふ (fu) | ぷ (pu) |
| へ (he) | ぺ (pe) |
| ほ (ho) | ぽ (po) |
Y-Vowel Sounds
Y-vowel sounds happen when you combine:
- A character from the I-row (like き, し, ち, に, etc.)
- A small “ya” sound: や (ya), ゆ (yu), or よ (yo).
This creates a quick glide between the two sounds.
Y-vowel sounds use small versions of や (ya), ゆ (yu), and よ (yo):
- Small や → ゃ
- Small ゆ → ゅ
- Small よ → ょ
These small characters are written below and to the right of the first character.
The Combination:
- き (ki) + や (ya) → きゃ (kya)
- し (shi) + ゆ (yu) → しゅ (shu)
- ち (chi) + よ (yo) → ちょ (cho)
Full List:
| I-row Sound | + や (ya) → | + ゆ (yu) → | + よ (yo) → |
|---|---|---|---|
| き (ki) | きゃ (kya) | きゅ (kyu) | きょ (kyo) |
| し (shi) | しゃ (sha) | しゅ (shu) | しょ (sho) |
| ち (chi) | ちゃ (cha) | ちゅ (chu) | ちょ (cho) |
| に (ni) | にゃ (nya) | にゅ (nyu) | にょ (nyo) |
| ひ (hi) | ひゃ (hya) | ひゅ (hyu) | ひょ (hyo) |
| み (mi) | みゃ (mya) | みゅ (myu) | みょ (myo) |
| り (ri) | りゃ (rya) | りゅ (ryu) | りょ (ryo) |
Think of them as one smooth sound, not two separate ones.
- きゃ (kya): Say it quickly like “kya!” (not “ki-ya”).
- しゅ (shu): Like “shoo” in English.
- にょ (nyo): Like “nyo” in “canyon.”
They’re used in tons of everyday Japanese words:
- きゃく (kyaku) → “guest” or “customer.”
- しゅくだい (shukudai) → “homework.”
- ちょう (chou) → “super” or “very.”
- にゃん (nyan) → “meow” (cat sound!).
Tips for Learning Y-Vowel Sounds
Tip 1: Look for the Small ゃ, ゅ, ょ
- If it’s small, it’s a Y-vowel sound!
- If it’s big, it’s separate sounds:
- きゃ (kya) vs. きや (ki-ya).
Tip 2: Practice the Glide
- Don’t separate the sounds.
- Try: “kyu-kyu-kyu” (きゅ) or “cho-cho-cho” (ちょ).
Tip 3: Use Real Words
- Say full words like:
- しゃしん (shashin) → photo.
- りゅうがく (ryuugaku) → studying abroad.
Tip 4: Write and Say
- Write them out, then read them aloud.
Hard Consonant Sounds
Hard consonant sounds make words sound more intense or sharp. These sounds are represented by a small っ (called small tsu or chiisai tsu). It’s like hitting a pause button for a fraction of a second before saying the next sound.
It makes you “double” or “stop” the consonant sound for extra emphasis.
Example:
- かた (kata) → means “shoulder.”
- かった (katta) → means “won.”
Notice how you hold your breath for a split second in かった (katta) before the “t.”
The small っ appears in the middle of words and doubles the consonants that follow it:
Doubling Rules:
- K: か (ka) → っか (kka)
- S: さ (sa) → っさ (ssa)
- T: た (ta) → った (tta)
- P: ぱ (pa) → っぱ (ppa)
How to Pronounce It
- Pause Slightly
When you see っ, don’t rush to the next syllable. Instead, stop briefly before the following consonant. - Double the Consonant
Imagine saying the consonant twice, like:- か (ka) → っか (kka) sounds like “ka-ka,” but faster.
Examples:
- いった (itta) → Say “it” with a short pause before the second “t.”
- さっか (sakka) → Sounds like “sak-ka” (writer or author).
- きっぷ (kippu) → Sounds like “kip-pu” (ticket).
Why Are Hard Consonants Important?
They change the meaning of words!
- いた (ita) → “was” (past tense of exist).
- いった (itta) → “went.”
- ほし (hoshi) → “star.”
- ほっし (hosshi) → Sounds exaggerated or different (fictional example).
If you miss the small っ, people might misunderstand you.
Tips For Practicing Hard Consonants
Tip 1: Spot the Small っ
- Look closely when reading Japanese. The small っ is easy to miss but makes a big difference.
Tip 2: Say the Word Slowly
- Break it into parts:
- がっこう → “gak…kou.”
- Slowly exaggerate the pause to get used to it.
Tip 3: Listen and Imitate
- Watch anime or listen to Japanese songs. Pay attention to how native speakers handle っ.
Tip 4: Practice Words in Pairs
Compare similar words to feel the difference:
- いた (ita) vs. いった (itta).
- かた (kata) vs. かった (katta).
Fun Fact
The small っ can also be used to show excitement or emotion in casual writing, like in text messages!
- えっ!? → “What!?”
- やった！ → “I did it!”
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