If you want to learn Japanese you must learn Japanese letter.
Because in Japan we don't use alphabet. Instead of alphabet, we use ひらがな(Hiragana), カタカナ(Katakana) and 漢字(Kanji).
Oh well, we also use alphabet to express a pronunciation like the above sentense.
Hiragana and Katakana don't have any individual meaning just like alphabet.
And just notice, Hiragana is a basic Japanese letter. Normally we use Hiragana.
So when do we use Katakana? The answer is Katakana is used for originally foreign langage such as a (カレー)curry which is coming from India.
Anyway, Let's check Japanese letter out!
あ い う え お
a i u e o
These letters are Japanese vowel which is called 母音(ぼいん)boin.We have 5 vowels and 9 consonants.
Consonant is called 子音(しいん)shiin in Japanese anyway.
Let's have a look how they work.
か き く け こ
ka ki ku ke ko
See?Each consonant combines each vowel normally.
And like I said each letter doesn't have any meaning.
That's why I said Hiragana is just like alphabet.
So now you can pronounce Japanese letter!
That's so cool, right?
さ し す せ そ
sa shi/si su se so
た ち つ て と
ta chi/ti tsu/tu te to
Here is a tip. つ has a small letter written as っ which is called 小文字(こもじ)komoji.
It's used for double consonants sound such as a 尻尾(しっぽ)shippo.
And then っ is silent sound.
And one more tip. We do not care about pronunciation that much.
For example, sit is written as しっと. Seat is written as しーと in Japanese.
How about lice and rice? You can write lice らいす in Japanese. And you can write rice らいす in Japanese.
Because we don't have L sound in Japanese.
That's why we can't pronounce L sound clearly :/
Anyway, you'll see.
な に ぬ ね の
na ni nu ne no
は ひ ふ へ ほ
ha hi hu/fu he ho
Here is a tip :)
は is pronounced as wa when it's used as a particle for a subject.
へ is pronounced as e when it's used as a particle for a direction.
Just remember it for now :)
ま み む め も
ma mi mu me mo
や ゆ よ
ya yu yo
や ゆ よ they can be also a small letter when they combine with consonant.
For example, Kyoushi →きょうし.
I'll explain it later because it's complicated ;/
Anyway, we are almost there :)
ら り る れ ろ
ra ri ru re ro
Let me say again.They could be la li lu le lo in Japanese.
Sounds strange, doesn't it? hehe
わ を ん
wa wo nn
Well done!!They're basic Japanese letters.
hm? Basic?
Yes, we have some more letters sorry guys ;/
We have 濁音(だくおん)Dakuon sound 半濁音(はんだくおん)Handakuon sound and 拗音(ようおん)Youon sound.
Dakuon is described with ″. And then sound is changed. Let's have a look.
が ぎ ぐ げ ご
ga gi gu ge go
ざ じ ず ぜ ぞ
za zi zu ze zo
だ ぢ づ で ど
da di du de do
Here is a tip :)ぢ and づ are written as di and du but pronunciation are ぢzi and づzu same as じ and ず.
Just be careful for now ;)
ば び ぶ べ ぼ
ba bi bu be bo
Ok. These are called Dakuon in Japanese.
Yes, some basic letters can be Dakuon but other ones can't.
Handakuon as well :)
Let's see.
ぱ ぴ ぷ ぺ ぽ
pa pi pu pe po
And...That's all!!
They're called Handakuon discribed with ゜.
Last one is (ようおん)youon sound.
And now is the time to explain small ゃ ゅ and ょ :)
Let's see!
きゃ きゅ きょ
kya kyu kyo
しゃ しゅ しょ
sha shu sho
ちゃ ちゅ ちょ
tya/cha tyu/chu tyo/cho
にゃ にゅ にょ
nya nyu nyo
ひゃ ひゅ ひょ
hya hyu hyo
みゃ みゅ みょ
mya myu myo
りゃ りゅ りょ
rya ryu ryo
ぎゃ ぎゅ ぎょ
gya gyu gyo
じゃ じゅ じょ
ja ju jo
びゃ びゅ びょ
bya byu byo
ぴゃ ぴゅ ぴょ
pya pyu pyo
Phew,,,
That's it!! I think...hehe.
We did a lots, right?
Let's practice from basic letter for now :)
Hm,,
You remember them already, don't you?
Can you read these words? :)
1. てんき (weather)
2.あかり (light/s)
3.せんせい (teacher/s)
4.せいと (student/s)
5.がっこう (school)
6.やきゅう (baseball)
7.ありがとうございます (Thank you so much)
The answer :)
1.Tenki
2.Akari
3.Sensei
4.Seito
5.Gakkou
6.Yakyuu
7.Arigatou gozaimasu
How was that?
I know how difficult learning 2nd language is.
I'm also learning English as my 2nd language.
So let's study together!!
I'm pretty sure You'll get better step by step.
ありがとうございました (*'ω'*)
