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An Introduction to Hiragana

Hiragana is used to represent Japanese words. Many Kanji are borrowed from Chinese and are written in Katakana instead. Those with a Japanese origin will be written out in Hiragana.

The vowel sounds for each character are very short, and each is voiced for the same amount of time. To further assit you in remember these characters I have given each vowel sound a specific color. The colors and sounds are:

  • Green for A - as in mop - with little or no rounding of the lips
  • Blue for I - as in tree - like a long 'e' sound, only shorter
  • Red for U - as in boot - with a slight rounding of the lips
  • Purple for E - as in left - with little or no rounding of the lips
  • Orange for O - as in tow - like a long 'o' sound, only shorter


Lesson 1 — Practice 1
A, I, U, E, O, Ka, Ki, Ku, Ke, Ko

Lesson 2 — Practice 2
Sa, Shi, Su, Se, So, Ta, Chi, Tsu, Te, To
Lesson 3 — Practice 3
Na, Ni, Nu, Ne, No, Ha, Hi, Fu, He, Ho
Lesson 4 — Practice 4
Ma, Mi, Mu, Me, Mo, Ya, Yu, Yo
Lesson 5 — Practice 5
Ra, Ri, Ru, Re, Ro, Wa, Wo, N
 
Lesson 6 — Practice 6
Ga, Gi, Gu, Ge, Go, Za, Zi, Zu, Ze, Zo, Da, Ji, Zu, De, Do
Lesson 7 — Practice 7
Ba, Bi, Bu, Be, Bo, Pa, Pi Pu, Pe, Po
Lesson 8    
Kya, Kyu, Kyo, Sya, Syu, Syo, Tya, Tyu, Tyo, Nya, Nyu, Nyo, Hya, Hyu, Hyo, Mya, Myu, Myo
Lesson 9    
Rya, Ryu, Ryo, Gya, Gyu, Gyo, Zya, Zyu, Zyo, Bya, Byu, Byo, Pya, Pyu, Pyo
  — Practice all


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