HIRAGANA & KATAKANA

ひらがな・カタカナ

れんしゅうノート

  
 INDEX

ひらがな Hiragana chart 3

カタカナ Katakana chart 4

Intro to Hiragana (ひらがな) and Katakana (カタカナ) 5

ひらがな ワークシート Hiragana worksheets 7

ひらがな Long vowels, little tsu っ 17

ひらがな Sounds composed with ya, yu, yo 19

ひらがな Particles wa, e and o 20

ひらがな Punctuation marks 21

ひらがなで かきましょう！ Let’s write in Hiragana! 22

やまのてせんの えきを かきましょう！ Write the Yamanote stations in Hiragana! 23

かぞくの ことば Family members 24

カタカナ ワークシート Katakana worksheets 25

カタカナ Long vowels, little tsu っ 35

カタカナ Sounds composed with ya, yu, yo 36

カタカナで かきましょう！ Let’s write in Katakana! 37

カタカナ Other composed sounds 38

カタカナで かきましょう！ Write the following words in romaji or katakana. 39

カタカナで かきましょう！ Write the country names and capitals in Katakana. 40

メニューを よみましょう！Let’s read the menu! 41

ひらがなとカタカナで かきましょう！ Let’s write in Hiragana and Katakana! 42

ひらがなとカタカナでかきましょう！ Reply using Hiragana and Katakana! 43

あ 　ひらがな Hiragana chart　
 

a i u e o
                               
a i u e o
                               
k ka ki ku ke ko
                               
s sa shi su se so
                               
t ta chi tsu te to
                               
n na ni nu ne no
                               
h ha hi fu he ho
                               
m ma mi mu me mo
                               
y ya yu yo
                               
r ra ri ru re ro
                               
w wa wo
                               
n n

                               
g ga gi gu ge go
                               
z za ji zu ze zo
                               
d da ji zu de do
                               
b ba bi bu be bo
                               
p pa pi pu pe po
 

                                         
ky kya kyu kyo gya gyu gyo
                                         
sh sha shu sho ja ju jo

                     
ch cha chu cho

ny nya nyu nyo

                                         
hy hya hyu hyo bya byu byo
                                         
my mya myu myo pya pyu pyo
                                       
ry rya ryu ryo

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 　カタカナ Katakana chart　
ア
　 



a i u e o
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
a i u e o
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
k ka ki ku ke ko
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
s sa shi su se so
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
t ta chi tsu te to
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
n na ni nu ne no
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
h
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
ha hi fu he ho

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
m ma mi mu me mo
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
y ya yu yo
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
r ra ri ru re ro

w wa ( ) (wo)
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
n n
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
g ga gi gu ge go
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
z
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
za ji zu ze zo

　
d da ji zu de do

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
b ba bi bu be bo
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
p pa pi pu pe po
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
ky kya kyu kyo gya gyu gyo
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　               
sh sha shu sho ja ju jo

ch
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
cha chu cho

ny nya nyu nyo

hy hya hyu hyo bya byu byo

my mya myu myo pya pyu pyo

ry rya ryu ryo

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Intro to Hiragana (ひらがな) and Katakana (カタカナ)

When you first start learning Japanese, Hiragana and Katakana might

seem very intimidating. At Coto Japanese Academy, we believe that if you
learn how to write Japanese at your own pace in a relaxed atmosphere, you
will soon realize how fun it is to write with Hiragana and Katakana!

Origins of Characters
Do you know about the history and the origin of Hiragana and Katakana?
Originally, the Japanese ancestors did not have a writing system. Around the fifth century, they
starting using kanji, ideograms that were adopted from China and Korea. They only used the
phonetic reading of the kanji, regardless of their meaning. At that time, the ideograms were
called manyogana (万葉仮名).

However, kanji’s characters are composed of many strokes. They take longer to write, as we
are sure you have noticed by now! Due to their difficulty, those ideograms were slowly
simplified into kana alphabets, namely Hiragana and Katakana. They are called syllabograms,
as each character corresponds to one sound in the Japanese language. According to
historians, the change was initiated by Buddhist priests who thought kanji was unable to
accurately represent the Japanese language, and that a phonetic alphabet would be better.
 
Examples of Change
On the left is the manyogana, and on the right are simplified hiragana and katakana forms.


• 安→ 阿→ (a)
• 以→ 伊→ (i)
• 宇→ 、 (u)
• 衣→ 江→ (e)
• 於→ 、 (o)


This change is thought to have taken place between the eighth and ninth century.  Hiragana
can be considered a simplified calligraphy form of the kanji’s strokes. On the other hand,
katakana is taken from a single element of a kanji. In some cases, the Hiragana and
Katakana are created from different ideograms.

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Among Hiragana and Katakana, some express the same sound and have similar shapes,
such as り and リ. However, some can be dissimilar, such as あ and ア.  Hiragana is said to be
cursive while katakana is more angular. Do take note that one sound can have more than one
hiragana. In 1900 the two kana scripts, hiragana, and katakana were codified. This led to the
clear establishment of rules for the Japanese system in 1946.

Difference between Hiragana and Katakana

Why is there 2 syllabic Japanese scripts? In the event that the difference is stylistic, you will
learn that hiragana is used to write native Japanese words. Those words will have no kanji
representation or the ideogram is too ancient or too difficult to write. This kana script is also the
one used to write grammatical elements such as particles: を (wo)、に (ni)、へ (he, also read
e)、が (ga)、は (ha)…
On the contrary, Japanese use katakana to write words of foreign origin and foreign names. If
you like to read manga in Japanese, you will have certainly noticed that katakana is also used
to represent onomatopoeia and emphasis.
Have you heard of the word “furigana”? Furigana is Hiragana and Katakana characters
written in small forms above kanji in order to show pronunciation. Furigana is used in kids’
books and Japanese language textbooks for learners, in order to teach the reading of unknown
kanji.

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 　ひらがな ワークシート Hiragana worksheets

あ

2
1

a 3

i 1

u 2

e 2

2 3

o 1

Love House

Blue Up, above

Good Many

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 2
1 3

ka
3
1

ki 2

ku
2
1

ke 3

ko 2

ga
Ka hiragana

gi
gu
ge
go

Persimmon Study of language Keys

P.M. (time) Autumn (Metal) nail

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Sa hiragana 1
2

sa 3

shi
2
1

su
3 2
1

se
1

so
za
ji
zu
ze
zo

Sushi There Elephant

Slope Wind Alcohol

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Ta hiragana 1 2
3

ta 4

1 2

chi
1

tsu
1

te
1

to 2

da
ji
zu
de
do

Land Later Bamboo

Desk Map Tyding up

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Na hiragana 1
2 3

na 4

1 2

ni 3

2
1

nu
1

ne 2

no 1

Cat Mushroom

Dog Eggplant

Meat Summer

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Ha hiragana 1 2 3

ha
1

hi
1

fu 3
2 4

he
2
1

ho
3
4

ba
bi
bu
be
bo
pa
pi
pu
pe
po
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Boat Sunny place

Flower Hat

Wall Hippopotamus

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Ma hiragana 3
1

ma 2

mi 2

2 3
1

mu
2
1

me
1
2

mo 3

Ear Eye

Peach City

Water Cloud

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Ra hiragana 1

ra
2

1 2

ri
1

ru
2 1

re
1

ro

Frog Dish

Bath Chestnut

Black Beautiful

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Ya hiragana 3 2

ya 1

2
1

yu
1
2

yo
1
2

wa
2
1

wo
3

Mountain Snow

Evening, night Night time

I, me Read a book

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 ひらがな Long vowels, little tsu っ

There are long vowels such as ā, ī, ū, ē and ō in Japanese.


The あ column
Long vowels such as ā, kā, sā, and tā (those of the first column), are represented by adding
(a) to the first syllable: ā,　 kā,　 sā,　etc.


The い column
Long vowels such as ī, kī, chī (those of the second column), are represented by adding 

(i) to the first syllable: ī,　 kī,　 mī,　etc.



The う column
Long vowels such as ū, sū, yū (those of the third column), are represented by adding 

(u) to the first syllable: ū,　 sū,　 yū,　etc.



The え column 

Long vowels such as rē, kē, sē, tē (those of the fourth column), are represented by adding
(i) and not (e) to the first syllable: rē,　 kē,　 sē,　etc.
But there are exceptions like the following: ē (yes), nē (I say), onēsan
(an elder sister).


The お column

Long vowels such as ō, kō, sō, tō (those of the fifth column), are represented by adding
(u) and not お (o) to the first syllable: ō,　 kō,　 sō,　etc.
But there are exceptions like the following: Ōsaka, ōkii (big), tōi
(far), ōi (numerous), と tōri (street), tōru (to pass through).

Little tsu っ (double consonant, i.e.: kk, pp, ss, tt)

When two consonants (except for "n") are in a row, the first consonant is represented by a
little tsu っ written in the bottom half of the line when written horizontally, or to the right if written
vertically. E.g.: ippai,　 mittsu,　かった katta.

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kōkō　    

kōen　  

imōto　  

ginkō　  

sōko　  

bōshi　  

sensē　  

tokē　  

gakusē　  

ēgo　  

kippu　  

zutto　  

ikkai　  

※ annai　  

※ tannin　  

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 ひらがな Sounds composed with ya, yu, yo


When a small “ya”, “yu”, “yo" is added to a syllables in the “i” column - except for vowel “i” itself
- we get a contracted sound. Although contracted sounds are written with two hiragana
characters, they are pronounced as a single syllable. The “i” sound in the first syllable decays
and the consonant is followed by the “y” sound and the vowel.

ya

yu

yo
(ki)＋ (ya)＝ (kya)

(ki)＋ (yu)＝ (kyu)

(ki)＋ (yo)＝ (kyo)

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 ひらがな Particles wa, e and (w)o


The three particles (grammatical markers) in Japanese, wa (topic maker), e (direction maker),
and wo (direct object maker), are represented respectively by the Hiragana characters of
(ha), (he), and (wo), due to historical circumstances.

While we write , and , the pronunciation respectively is wa, e, and o.
Therefore: 

・o when used as a particle is written (wo), not (o).
・e when used as a particle is written (he), not (e).
・wa when used as a particle is written (ha), not (wa). 


E.g:     。

Watashi wa hon wo yomimasu.


　　   。

Tōkyō e ikimasu.

          。
wa tashi wa nihonjin desu. (I am Japanese)

        。
o kashi wo tabemasu. (I eat sweets)

          。
he ijitsu ni shibuya e ikimasu.

(I go to Shibuya on weekdays)

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 ひらがな Punctuation marks


Kutōten (puntuation marks) is a generic term that refers both to full stops (maru, 。) and
commas (ten, 、)
Punctuation marks can make a huge difference in the meaning of a sentence depending on
where they are placed. Just like in English, adding a punctuation mark can change the meaning
of a sentence.
For example : "Eats, shoots and leaves" versus "Eats shoots and leaves."
In Japanese, it is not customary to separate words with spaces, which makes it easier for
misunderstandings to arise. Several punctuation marks may be used in order to prevent these
kinds of misunderstandings.

1. 、 。
Koko de, hakimono o nuide kudasai.
( 履物 脱 )
Please take your shoes off here.


2. 、 。
Koko de wa, kimono o nuide kudasai .
( 、着物 脱 )
Please take your kimono (clothes) off here.

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ひらがなで かきましょう！ Let’s write in Hiragana!


22
やまのてせんの えきを かきましょう！ 

Write the Yamanote stations in Hiragana!


Tōkyō Kanda

Yūrakuchō Akihabara

Shimbashi Okachimachi

Hamamatsuchō Ueno

Tamachi Uguisudani

Takanawa (Gateway) Nippori

Shinagawa Nishi-Nippori

Ōsaki Tabata

Gotanda Komagome

Meguro Sugamo

Ebisu Ōtsuka

Shibuya Ikebukuro

Harajuku Mejiro

Yoyogi Takadanobaba

Shinjuku Shin-Ookubo

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かぞくの ことば 

Family members


く
kazoku
family
① ojīsan
 ② obāsan

grandfather grandmother

③ otōsan
 ④ okāsan

father mother

④ onīsan
 ④ onēsan
 ④ otōto
 ④ imōto


elder brother elder sister watashi younger brother younger sister
I, me

① Grandfather

② Grandmother

③ Father

④ Mother

⑤ Elder brother

⑥ Elder sister

⑦ Younger brother

⑧ Younger sister

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 　カタカナ ワークシート Katakana worksheets

ア
1

a 2

i 2

u
2
3

e 3
2

2
1

o 3

Wear

Air

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Ka katakana 2
1

Ka
3
1

ki 2

2
1

ku
1 2

ke 3

ko ２

ga
gi
gu
ge
go

Khaki Eco Core

Cake Ego Car

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Sa katakana 2 3

sa 1

shi
2

3
1

su 2

2
1

se
so 1 2

za
ji
zu
ze
zo

Quiz Caesar Case

Sausage Size Sauce

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Ta katakana 1
2

ta 3

chi 2
3

2
1

tsu 3

te
2
3

1 2

to
da
ji
zu
de
do

Date Card Two

Test Darts Cheek

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Na katakana 1 2

na
1

ni 二二二 2

nu 2

1
2

ne 3
4

no

Banana Nice

Needs Night

Canoe Note

29
Ha katakana 1 2

ha
1
2

hi
1

fu
1

he
2
1

ho 3 4

ba
bi
bu
be
bo
pa
pi
pu
pe
po
30
Curve Boat

Copy Part-time job

Cover Pair

31
Ma katakana 1

ma 2

mi 2
3

mu 2

me 2

mo 2
3

Memo Mom

Mini skirt Gum

Madam Motor

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Ra katakana 1

ra 2

1 2

ri
ru 1 2

re
2

ro 1

Retro Little

Lemon Color

Lamp Rugby

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Ya katakana 2

ya 1

yu 2

yo 2
3

2
1

wa
1
3

o 2

n 2

Jeans Bread

Hawaii Wine

Yoga Utopia

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 カタカナ Long vowels, little tsu っ


Long vowels in writing katakana



In Katakana long vowels are represented uniformly by drawing a dash after the first syllable. A
horizontal dash is drawn when written horizontally and a vertical dash is used when written
vertically. 

ā,　 kī,　 sū,　 te,　 nō, etc.

Little tsu ッ (double consonant, i.e.: kk, pp, ss, tt)

In Katakana, the little (tsu) has the same function as in Hiragana. When two consonants
except for “n” are in a row, the first consonant is represented by a little (tsu) written in the
lower half of horizontal line or to the right in a vertical column.
E.g.: koppu,　 katto,　 beddo, etc.

kōhī　    

kēki　  

karendā　  

reddo　  

burakku　  

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カタカナ Sounds composed with ya, yu, yo


ya

yu

yo

(ki)＋ (ya)＝ (kya)

(ki)＋ (yu)＝ (kyu)

(ki)＋ (yo)＝ (kyo)

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カタカナで かきましょう！ Let’s write in Katakana!


37
カタカナ Other composed sounds 


ye

wi we wo

kwa kwi kwe kwo

gwa

she

je

che

tsa tse tso

ti tu

tyu

di du

dyu

fa fi fe fo

fyu

va vi vu ve vo

vyu

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カタカナで かきましょう！

Write the following words in romaji or katakana.


famirī

vanpaia

dyuetto

vintēji

gōrudenwīku

fōkusongu

39
カタカナで かきましょう！

Write the country names and capitals in Katakana.


⑧
④
①
② ③

⑤
⑥

⑦
⑩ ⑨

(Country name) (Capital)

⑤ 二
⑥ 二
⑦

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メニューを よみましょう！Let’s read the menu!


⑨ 350
（ ・ ）
⑩ 400
⑪ 350
① 600
⑫ 350
② 700
⑬ 450
③ ビーフシチュー 1000
⑭ 400
（ ）
⑮ 550
④   700
⑯ 550
⑤ 500
⑥ 550
⑦ 350
⑧ 300

⑰ 450
⑱ 450
⑲ 650
⑳ 700
（ 、 ）

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 ひらがなとカタカナで かきましょう！

Let’s write in Hiragana and Katakana! 


A: konnichiwa! kyō wa iitenki desune.

___________________________________________________________________
_______


B: sōdesune. kinō wa nani o shimashitaka.

___________________________________________________________________
_______


A: karaoke ni ikimashita. Tanoshikatta desu yo!

___________________________________________________________________
_______


B: sore wa yokatta desune. A san wa chokorēto ga suki desuka.

___________________________________________________________________
_______


A: hai, suki desu! daisuki desu!

___________________________________________________________________
_______


B: sō desu ka. ja, kore dōzo tabete kudasai. oishii desuyo.

___________________________________________________________________
_______


42
ひらがなとカタカナでかきましょう！

Reply using Hiragana and Katakana!

✏  Your name

___________________________________________________________________
_______


✏  Your Country

___________________________________________________________________
_______


✏ 　Your hometown

___________________________________________________________________
_______


✏  Your job

___________________________________________________________________
_______


✏  Your teacher’s name

___________________________________________________________________
_______


✏  Foods you like

___________________________________________________________________
_______


✏  Drinks you like

___________________________________________________________________

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