Writing Hiragana
Be sure to use e-Book Hiragana on CD-ROM first, so that you can learn thefollowing syllables with sound and animation. Then, trace over the characters
printed in light gray before you write each in the blank square.
A. Basic 46 Syllables

1314 Learning Kana

D. Writing Words Horizontally, from Left to Right.

thank youstudentlunch

あ り が と うが く せいひる ごはんschooltea

baseballが っ こ うおち ゃ

や き ゅ うsecond day of the monthstroll; walking

friend

ふつかさ んぽと もだち

teacherskyJapanese language

せんせい

そらにほんごpostage stampclassroom

this morning

き っ て

き ょ う し つけ さ

namehello

I; myself

な ま え

こ んに ち はわた しglove

store

refrigeratorてぶ く ろ

みせれいぞ う こLearning Kana 15

E. Writing Words Vertically, from Top to Bottom and from Right to Left.

れいぞう
ここんにちはわた
しきってきょ

う
しつともだ
ち

おちせん
せいや
きゃゅ

う

ありがとうがく
せいてぶ
くろ

けさ

そら

ふつか

ひる
ごはん

みせなまえにほん
ご

さん
ぽがっこう

16 Learning Kana

Notes on reading words written in hiragana
Long Vowels:
1

A long (or double) vowel is pronounced as a prolonged vowel.
[aa] おかあさん o-kaa-sa-N (mother)[ii] すずしいsu-zu-shii (nice and cool)[uu] じゅうjuu(ten)[ee] せんせい
se-N-see (teacher)
ええee (yes)[oo] きのう
ki-noo (yesterday)
とおい
too-i (distant)

2

The “ee” sound is usually transcribed by adding い to an “e”-vowel character
like せ (se), as in せんせい (se-N-see). ええ is an exception.

3

The “oo” sound is usually transcribed by adding う to an “o”-vowel character
like の (no), as in きのう (ki-noo). とおい is an exception.

Devoiced Vowels:
1

The vowels “i” and “u” often become voiceless or sound whispered when theyfall between any two of the voiceless consonants of [k], [h], [p], [s] or [t].
くつk(u)-tsu
けしき ke-sh(i)-ki

2

The devoicing of “i” or “u” also occurs when it follows a voiceless consonantand comes at the end of a word. In standard Japanese, this devoicing is more
likely to take place when a word is spoken at a normal or fast speed thanotherwise.
くつk(u)-ts(u)けしき ke-sh(i)-k(i)3

The vowel “u” in です (de-su) and ます (ma-su) is usually voiceless instandard Japanese.

Double Consonants:
When pronouncing a word containing the small っ, hold your breath for the っfor the length of a full syllable. In romaji, double consonants such as [kk], [pp],[ss] and [tt] are used when transcribing a word that includes the small っ.

Learning Kana 17

きってがっこうki-T-te (KITTE) (postage stamp)
ga-K-koo (GAKKOU) (school)

Syllabic Consonant ん:1ん should be pronounced with the length of a full syllable.

2

When following [d], [j], [n], [s], [r], [t], or [z], ん is pronounced like English“n” as in “name.”
おんなo-N-na (woman)
れんしゅう
re-N-shuu (n. practice)3

When following [g] or [k], ん is pronounced “n[g]” as in “sing.”
まんがma-N-ga (manga)
べんきょう
be-N-kyoo (studying)

4

When following [b], [m], or [p], ん is pronounced “m” as in “moon.”
えんぴつe-M-pi-tsu (pencil)
さんぽsa-M-po (n. stroll)5

When following a vowel or coming at the end of a word, ん is pronounced asa nasal sound by keeping the tongue from touching the palate.にほんni-ho-N (Japan)
てんいん
te-N-i-N (clerk)

ぢ [ji] and づ [zu]:ぢ or づ tends to be used in a word when the following rare occasions occur:(1) Two “chi” sounds occur in a row, and the second “chi” becomes thevoiced sound “ji.” The same transformation applies to づ.
chi-chi-mu → ちぢむ chi-ji-mu (to shrink)tsu-tsu-ku → つづく tsu-zu-ku (to continue)(2) “Chi” becomes the voiced sound “ji” in a word that is originally madeup of two words. The same transformation applies to づ.
はな (nose) + ち (blood)→ はなぢ (nosebleed)ha-nachiha-na-ji
かん (can) + つめ (packing) → かんづめ (canned food)ka-N
tsu-meka-N-zu-me