201608

Hiragana and Katakana worksheets

ひらがな カタカナ

1. Three types of letters ··········································· 1

＿
2. Roma-ji, Hiragana and Katakana ·························· 2
3. Hiragana worksheets and quizzes ························ 3-9
4. The rules in Hiragana···································· 10-11
5. The rules in Katakana ········································ 12
6. Katakana worksheets and quizzes ··················· 12-22

Japanese Language School, Tokyo, Japan

Meguro Language Center
TEL.: 03-3493-3727
Email: info@mlcjapanese.co.jp
http://www.mlcjapanese.co.jp
 Meguro Language Center

There are three types of letters in Japanese.

1. Hiragana (phonetic sounds) are basically used for particles, words and parts
of words.
2. Katakana (phonetic sounds) are basically used for foreign/loan words.
3. Kanji (Chinese characters) are used for the stem of words and convey the
meaning as well as sound.

Hiragana is basically used to express 46 different sounds used in the Japanese

language. We suggest you start learning Hiragana, then Katakana and then
Kanji. If you learn Hiragana first, it will be easier to learn Katakana next.
Hiragana will help you learn Japanese pronunciation properly, read Japanese
beginners' textbooks and write sentences in Japanese. Japanese will become a
lot easier to study after having learned Hiragana. Also, as you will be able to
write sentences in Japanese, you will be able to write E-mails in Hiragana.
Katakana will help you read Japanese menus at restaurants. Hiragana and
Katakana will be a good help to your Japanese study and confortable living in
Japan.

To master Hiragana, it is important to practice writing Hiragana. Revision is

also very important - please go over what you have learned several times.

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＿
Roma-ji, Hiragana and Katakana
A I U E O
- a あ ア i い イ u う e え o お
K ka か kｉ き ku く ke け ko こ
S sa さ shｉ し su す se せ so そ
T ta た chｉ ち tsu つ te て to と
N na な nｉ に nu ぬ ne ね no の
H ha は hｉ ひ fu ふ he へ ho ほ
M ma ま mｉ み mu む me め mo も
Y ya や yu ゆ yo よ
R ra ら ri り ru る re れ ro ろ
W wa わ ワ o を ヲ
- n,m ん ン
“n” before b, m and p becomes “m” wichi is pronounced like “m” in “sample”.
n m

Ｇ ga が gi ぎ gu ぐ ge げ go ご
Ｚ za ざ ji じ zu ず ze ぜ zo ぞ
Ｄ da だ ji ぢ zu づ de で do ど
Ｂ ba ば bｉ び bu ぶ be べ bo ぼ
P pa ぱ pｉ ぴ pu ぷ pe ぺ po ぽ

kya きゃ kyu きゅ kyo きょ

sha しゃ shu しゅ sho しょ
cha ちゃ chu ちゅ cho ちょ
nya にゃ nyu にゅ nyo にょ
hya ひゃ hyu ひゅ hyo ひょ
mya みゃ myu みゅ myo みょ
rya りゃ ryu りゅ ryo りょ
gya ぎゃ gyu ぎゅ gyo ぎょ
ja じゃ ju じゅ jo じょ
bya びゃ byu びゅ byo びょ
pya ぴゃ pyu ぴゅ pyo ぴょ
Foreign words representation by Katakana
she che je
tsa ァ tse tso
fa ァ fi ィ fe fo
ti ィ dhi ィ dyu
wi ィ we wo quo
va ヴァ vi ヴィ ve ヴ vo ヴ

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 Meguro Language Center
Printing

②
あ あ あ あ あ
あ あ
① ③
a
① ②
い い い い い
i い い
①
う う う う う
u う う ②

① え え え え え
e え え ②

② ③
お お お お お
o お お ①

②
か か か か か
か か ① ③
ka
③
き き き き き
き き
①
ki ②

①
く く く く く
ku く く
① ③
け け け け け
け け
②
ke
こ こ こ こ こ
こ こ
①
ko ②

[QUIZ] Write the following words in hiragana.

1. aka (red) 5. ie (house)

2. ao (blue) 6. kaki (oyster)

＿
3. aki (autumn) 7. okii (big)

4. eki (station) 8. ue (on top)

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 Meguro Language Center
Simillar
② Hiragana
さ さ さ さ さ
sa さ さ ① →き き

①
し し し し し
shi し し
②
す す す す す
su す す ①

③②
せ せ せ せ せ
se せ せ ①

そ そ そ そ そ
そ そ
①
so
そ OK
[QUIZ]

1. asa (morning) 3. shio (salt)

2. osushi (o-sushi) 4. osake (sake)

すし
②
た た た た た
ta た た ①
③
④

②
ち ち ち ち ち →さ さ
chi ち ち ①

つ つ つ つ つ
tsu つ つ ①

て て て て て
て て
①
te
と と と と と
と と
①
to ②

[QUIZ]

1. ashita (tomorrow) 3. tokei (watch)

2. chikatetsu (subway) 4. kutsu (shoes)

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 Meguro Language Center
②
③ な な な な な →た
な な
①
na ④

① ②
に に に に に
ni に に ③

①②
ぬ ぬ ぬ ぬ ぬ
nu ぬ ぬ
①
ね ね ね ね ね
ne ね ね ②

①
の の の の の
no の の
[QUIZ]

1. kono neko (this cat) 3. sono inu (that dog)

2. nani (what) 4. niku (meat)

ha ① ②③ は は は は は →け
*wa
は は
ひ ひ ひ ひ ひ
hi ひ ひ ①

ふ ふ ふ ふ ふ
ふ ふ
①
fu ③
② ④

へ へ へ へ へ
he へ へ ①

②④ ほ ほ ほ ほ ほ
ho ほ ほ ①
③
→けは

[QUIZ] ■ Note that the particle WA is represented by は, the E is represented by へ．

1. fune (ship) 3. hito (people)

2. hoshi (star) 4. hako (box)

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③
ま ま ま ま ま
ま ま
①
ma ②

① み み み み み
み み
②
mi
②
む む む む む
mu む む ① ③

① ②
め め め め め →ぬ
me め め
①
も も も も も →ま
mo も も ②
③

[QUIZ]

1. ame (rain) 3. mushi (insect)

2. namae (name) 4. Moshi moshi (Hello)

③ ②
や や や や や
ya や や ①

① ②
ゆ ゆ ゆ ゆ ゆ
yu ゆ ゆ
②
よ よ よ よ よ →ま
よ よ
①
yo

[QUIZ]

1. yasumi (day off) 3. fuyu (winter)

2. yuki (snow)

― ―
■ Note that u and o are represented by adding う.
＿ ＿
1. yumei (famous) 3. kino (yesterday)
＿ ＿ ＿
2. yofuku (Western clothes) 4. kuko (airport)

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 Meguro Language Center

①
ら ら ら ら ら →ち
ra ら ら ②

① ②
り り り り り →い
ri り り
①
る る る る る
ru る る
①
れ れ れ れ れ →ね
れ れ
②
re
①
ろ ろ ろ ろ ろ →る
ro ろ ろ
①
わ わ わ わ わ
わ わ
→ねれ
wa ②

②
を を を を を
を を
①
o ③

particle
①
ん ん ん ん ん
n, m ん ん
[QUIZ] ■ Note that the particle O is represented by を, not お．

1. kore (this) 5. kuro (black)

2. sore (that) 6. kuruma (car)

＿
3. Sayonara (Goodbye) 7. watashi (I)

4. hon (book) 8. Sumimasen (I’m sorry.)

[QUIZ] Similar characters (Write the following characters in hiragana.)

a/o ki/sa chi/ra ta/na

me/nu i/ri ma/mo ru/ro

ke/ha/ho wa/re/ne

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 Meguro Language Center

ga が が が [QUIZ]
gi ぎ ぎ ぎ 1. mado (window)
gu ぐ ぐ ぐ
ge げ げ げ 2. mada (not yet)
go ご ご ご
3. sugoi (great)
za ざ ざ ざ
ji じ じ じ ＿
4. Arigatogozaimasu. (Thank you.)
zu ず ず ず
ze ぜ ぜ ぜ 5. denwa (telephone)
zo ぞ ぞ ぞ
6. Komban wa.
particle
da だ だ だ
ji ぢ ぢ ぢ 7. shimbun (newspaper)
zu づ づ づ
de で で で 8. tomodachi (friend)
do ど ど ど
＿
9. ginko (bank)
ba ば ば ば
bi び び び 10. chizu (map)
bu ぶ ぶ ぶ
be べ べ べ
bo ぼ ぼ ぼ

pa ぱ ぱ ぱ
pi ぴ ぴ ぴ
pu ぷ ぷ ぷ
pe ぺ ぺ ぺ
po ぽ ぽ ぽ

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 Meguro Language Center

kya きゃ きゃ gya ぎゃ ぎゃ
kyu きゅ きゅ gyu ぎゅ ぎゅ
kyo きょ きょ gyo ぎょ ぎょ

sha しゃ しゃ ja じゃ じゃ
shu しゅ しゅ ju じゅ じゅ
sho しょ しょ jo じょ じょ

cha ちゃ ちゃ nya にゃ にゃ
chu ちゅ ちゅ nyu にゅ にゅ
cho ちょ ちょ nyo にょ にょ

hya ひゃ ひゃ bya びゃ びゃ
hyu ひゅ ひゅ byu びゅ びゅ
hyo ひょ ひょ byo びょ びょ

pya ぴゃ ぴゃ mya みゃ みゃ
pyu ぴゅ ぴゅ myu みゅ みゅ
pyo ぴょ ぴょ myo みょ みょ

rya りゃ りゃ
ryu りゅ りゅ
ryo りょ りょ
[QUIZ]
＿ ＿ ＿
1. Tokyo 4. shumatsu (weekend)
＿
2. jusho (address) 5. shashin (photo)

3. Ja, mata. (See you.) 6. shukudai (homework)

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The rules in Hiragana

(1) Long vowels

＿
① a is represented by adding あ.
＿ ＿ ＿
okasan (mother) おかあさん、 mama (so-so)
＿
② ii and i are represented by adding い.
＿
oniisan (older brother) おにいさん、 ojiisan/oj i san (grandfather)
＿
③ u is represented by adding う.
＿ ＿
yugata (early evening) ゆうがた、 chugoku (China)
＿
taifu (typhoon)
＿
④ e is represented by adding え in the words of Japanese origin.
＿
onesan (older sister) おねえさん

⑤ ei is written in えい in the words of Chinese origin.

＿
Eigo (English) えいご、 yumei (famous)
sensei (teacher) 、 gakusei (student)
＿
⑥ o is represented by adding う.
＿ ＿ ＿
sayonara さようなら、 byoin (hospital) 、 kyo (today)
＿ ＿
Domo arigatogozaimasu.

⑦ Ｉn some words it is traditionally written in お.

＿ ＿ ＿
oki おおきい、 to (ten) 、 tori (street)

(2) Double consonants

Double consonants (kk, pp, ss, and tt) are represented by small っ. As small っ indicates
a one-syllable pause, the mouth prepares for the pronunciation of the next syllable.
＿
gakko (school) がっこう、 kippu (ticket) 、 kitte (stamp)
Chotto matte kudasai. (Just moment, please.)
Gambatte kudasai. (Go for it. Good luck.)

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 Meguro Language Center

(3) ji and zu are usually written in じ and ず. In few cases, they are traditionally written in
ぢ and づ.

sanji (3:00) 、 jisho (dictionary)

chizu (map) 、 mizu (water)

(4) wa using as a particle is written in は, not わ.

＿ ＿
Kyo wa doyobi desu. (Today is Saturday.) きょうは どようびです。
Watashi wa nihonjin desu. (I’m Japanese.)

Watashi wa nihonjin dewa arimasen. (I’m not Japanese.)

(5) o using as a particle is written in を, not お.

Osake o nomimasu. (I drink sake.) おさけを のみます。

Sore o misete kudasai. (Please show me that.)

Kore o kudasai. (Please give me this one.)

(6) e using as a particle is written in へ, not え.

Shibuya e ikimasu. (I’m going to Shibuya.) しぶやへ いきます。

Doko e ikimasuka. (Where are you going?)
＿ ＿
Kyoto e ikimasu. (I’m going to Kyoto.)

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Katakana in used in the following ways

(1) For words of foreign origin

(2) For onomatopoeia ex. ワンワン wanwan (bowwow)

(3) For the names of some animals and insects

(4) For the emphasis of some words ex. それは です。

The rules in Katakana

(1) Long vowels are represented by a dash, “―.”

(2) Double consonants (kk, pp, ss, tt etc.) are represented by small tsu, .

Printing

①
ア ア ア ア ア
a ア ア ②

①
イ イ イ イ イ
i イ イ ②

①
ウ ウ ウ ウ ウ
ウ ウ
③
u ②

① エ エ エ エ エ
e エ エ ③
②

②
オ オ オ オ オ
オ オ
①
o ③

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 Meguro Language Center

②
カ カ カ カ カ
ka カ カ ①

③
キ キ キ キ キ
キ キ
①
ki ②

①②
ク ク ク ク ク
ku ク ク
①②
ケ ケ ケ ケ ケ
ke ケ ケ ③
→ク
コ コ コ コ コ
コ コ
①
ko ②

ga ガ ガ ガ
gi ギ ギ ギ
gu グ グ グ
ge ゲ ゲ ゲ
go ゴ ゴ ゴ
[QUIZ]
＿
1. kukk i (cookie) 3. kikku (kick)
＿ ＿
2. koku (coke) 4. keki (cake)

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 Meguro Language Center

②③
サ サ サ サ サ
sa サ サ ①

①
シ シ シ シ シ
shi シ シ ②
③

ス ス ス ス ス
ス ス
①
su ②

②
セ セ セ セ セ
se セ セ ①

① ②
ソ ソ ソ ソ ソ
so ソ ソ
za ザ ザ ザ
ji ジ ジ ジ
zu ズ ズ ズ
ze ゼ ゼ ゼ
zo ゾ ゾ ゾ
[QUIZ]
＿ ＿
1. suk i (ski) 4. sakka (soccer)
＿
2. gasu (gas) 5. sosu (sauce)
＿ ＿
3. soseji (sausage) 6. kuizu (quiz)

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 Meguro Language Center

①②
タ タ タ タ タ →ク
ta タ タ ③

③①
チ チ チ チ チ
chi チ チ ②

① ② ③
→シ
tsu ツ
①
te ②
テ ③

to ト②

da ダ ダ ダ
ji ヂ ヂ ヂ
zu
de
do
■ ji and zu are usually written in and .

■ An aid to the (shi) and (tsu), remembrance and distinction.

Hiragana Katakana
1
shi し シ
2
3 シ
12 3
tsu つ
Keep in mind the equivalent hiragana, し(shi) and つ(tsu).

[QUIZ]
＿
1. tekisuto (textbook) 4. ch i zu (cheese)
＿ ＿
2. suteki (steak) 5. takush i (taxi)
＿ ＿
3. dezato (dessert) 6. sh i tsu (sheet)

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②
→サ
na ①
ナ
→エ
ニ
①
ni ②

① →ス
nu ②
ヌ
①

ネ
②
④
ne ③

ノ
①
no

[QUIZ]
＿
1. tenisu (tennis) 3. noto (notebook)

2. nekutai (necktie) 4. tsuna (tuna)

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 Meguro Language Center

①②
ha ハ
②①
→セエ
hi ヒ
① →ウ
fu フ
he ①
ヘ
②

ホ
①
ho ③ ④

ba
bi
bu
be
bo
pa
pi
pu
pe
po
[QUIZ]
＿ ＿ ＿
1. pasupoto (passport) 5. h i ta (heater)

2. pasuta (pasta) 6. basu (bus)

＿
3. kop i (copy) 7. sutoppu (stop)
＿ ＿
4. sup i do (speed) 8. sabisu (service)

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→ア
マ
①
ma ②

① →
mi ②
③ ミ
①
mu ム ②

①
→サ
me メ
②

モ
①
mo ②

[QUIZ]
＿ ＿
1. hamu (ham) 6. mota (motor)
＿
2. memo (memo) 7. messeji (message)

3. gamu (gum) 8. tomato (tomato)

4. maiku (mike) 9. chimu (team)

5. shisutemu (system)

ya ①
ヤ
→コ
ユ
①
yu ②

ヨ
①
yo ②
③

[QUIZ]
＿ ＿
1. yotto (yacht) 3. yuza (user)

2. taiya (tire)

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①
ra ②
ラ
①②
→ソ
ri リ
①②
ru ル
①

re レ
②
ro ロ
①
③

[QUIZ]
＿
1. ruru (rule) 6. taoru (towel)
＿ ＿
2. toire (toilet, bathroom) 7. erebeta (elevator)
＿ ＿
3. kurisumasu (Christmas) 8. esukareta (escalator)
＿ ＿
4. garikku (garlic) 9. kareraisu (curry rice)
＿
5. meruadoresu (e-mail address) 10. makudonarudo (McDonald’s)

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② →ク
ワ ワ ワ ワ ワ
wa ワ ワ ①
ウ

① ヲ ヲ ヲ ヲ ヲ
o ヲ ヲ ②

ン ン ン ン ン →ソ
ン ン
①
n, m ②

■ Katakana ヲ is not used in modern living.

■ An aid to remembrance and distinction the (so) and ン(n,m).

Hiragana Katakana
1 2
so そ ソ ソ
ん ン ン
1
n, m 2

[QUIZ]
＿
1. resutoran (restaurant) 6. hambagu (hamburg steak)
＿
2. ressun (lesson) 7. sosu (sauce)

3. ranchi (lunch) 8. wain (wine)

[QUIZ] Similar characters (Write the following characters in katakana.)

shi/tsu n/so ku/ta ma/a nu/su

sa/na/me ku/fu/u/wa
se/hi/e/ni/mi

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 Meguro Language Center

kya キ キ gya ギ ギ
kyu キ キ gyu ギ ギ
kyo キ キ gyo ギ ギ

sha シ シ ja ジ ジ
shu シ シ ju ジ ジ
sho シ シ jo ジ ジ

cha チ チ nya
chu チ チ nyu
cho チ チ nyo

hya bya
hyu byu
hyo byo

pya mya
pyu myu
pyo myo

rya tsa ァ ァ
ryu tse ェ ェ
ryo tso ォ ォ

she シェ シェ je ジェ ジェ
che チェ チェ quo クォ クォ

va ヴァ ヴァ fa ァ ァ
vi ヴィ ヴィ fi ィ ィ
ve ヴェ ヴェ fe ェ ェ
vo ヴォ ヴォ fo ォ ォ

wi ウィ ウィ ti ィ ィ
we ウェ ウェ di ィ ィ
wo ウォ ウォ dyu

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[QUIZ]
＿
1. sukejuru (schedule)
＿
2. chokoreto (chocolate)
＿
3. menyu (menu)
＿
4. dizun i rando (Disneyland)
＿
5. remont i (lemon tea)

6. chekku (check)
＿
7. kompyuta (computer)
＿
8. orenjijusu (orange juice)
＿
9. infomeshon (information)
＿
10. shampu (shampoo)

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