Learn Hiragana

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana - The Japanese Alphabet

46 Basic Hiragana

1. Vowels: a, i, u, e, o

あ
a
い
i
う
u
え
e
お
o

1.1 あ (a)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana あ a

Pronunciation of あ:

  • like “ah“
  • like ‘a‘ in “arm”
  • like ‘a‘ in “mask”

1.2 い (i)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana い i

Pronunciation of い:

  • like ‘i‘ in “in”
  • like ‘i‘ in “internet”
  • like ‘ee‘ in “eel”

1.3 う (u)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana う u

Pronunciation of う:

  • like ‘u‘ in “gnu“
  • like ‘oo‘ in “oops”
  • like ‘oo‘ in “moo“

1.4 え (e)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana え e

Pronunciation of え:

  • like ‘e‘ in “end”
  • like ‘e‘ in “exotic”
  • like ‘e‘ in “enter”

1.5 お (o)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana お o

Pronunciation of お:

  • like “oh“
  • like ‘o‘ in “off”
  • like ‘o‘ in “over”

2. K-Row: ka, ki, ku, ke, ko

か
ka
き
ki
く
ku
け
ke
こ
ko

2.1 か (ka)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana か ka

Pronunciation of か:

  • like “Ka” in “Kardashians”
  • like “Ca” in “California”
  • like ‘ca‘ in “car”

2.2 き (ki)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana き ki

Pronunciation of き:

  • like ‘ki‘ in “kit”
  • like ‘ki‘ in “kiss”
  • like ‘ki‘ “kill”

2.3 く (ku)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana く ku

Pronunciation of く:

  • like ‘cou‘ in “cougar”
  • like ‘cu‘ in “cuckoo”
  • like ‘co‘ in “cool”

2.4 け (ke)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana け ke

Pronunciation of け:

  • like ‘ke‘ in “kelp”
  • like ‘ke‘ in “Kentucky”
  • like ‘ke‘ in “Kelly”

2.5 こ (ko)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana こ ko

Pronunciation of こ:

  • like ‘ko‘ in “koala”
  • like ‘co‘ in “cobra”
  • like ‘co‘ in “corn”

3. S-Row: sa, shi, su, se, so

さ
sa
し
shi
す
su
せ
se
そ
so

3.1 さ (sa)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana さ sa

Pronunciation of さ:

  • like ‘sa‘ in “sauna”
  • like ‘sa‘ in “sahara”
  • like ‘su‘ in “sun”

3.2 し (shi)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana し shi

Pronunciation of し:

  • like ‘shi‘ in “shish”
  • like ‘shi‘ in “shift”
  • like ‘shi‘ in “Shiva”

3.3 す (su)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana す su

Pronunciation of す:

  • like ‘su‘ in “sushi”
  • like ‘su‘ in “surrender”
  • like ‘soo‘ in “soon”

3.4 せ (se)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana せ se

Pronunciation of せ:

  • like ‘se‘ in “self”
  • like ‘se‘ in “set”
  • like ‘se‘ in “send”

3.5 そ (so)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana そ so

Pronunciation of そ:

  • like ‘so‘
  • like ‘so‘ in “song”
  • like ‘so‘ in “soft”

4. T-Row: ta, chi, tsu, te, to

た
ta
ち
chi
つ
tsu
て
te
と
to

4.1 た (ta)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana た ta

Pronunciation of た:

  • like ‘ta‘ in “target”
  • like ‘ta‘ in “Tarzan”
  • like ‘ta‘ in “tacos”

4.2 ち (chi)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana ち chi

Pronunciation of ち:

  • like ‘chi‘ in “chilly”
  • like ‘chi‘ in “chin”
  • like ‘chi‘ in “Tai chi“

4.3 つ (tsu)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana つ tsu

Pronunciation of つ:

  • like ‘zu‘ in “Zumba”
  • like ‘zu‘ in “zucchini”
  • like ‘tsu‘ in “shiatsu“

4.4 て (te)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana て te

Pronunciation of て:

  • like ‘te‘ in “test”
  • like ‘te‘ in “temple”
  • like ‘te‘ in “text”

4.5 と (to)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana と to

Pronunciation of と:

  • like ‘to‘ in “top”
  • like ‘to‘ in “toss”
  • like ‘to‘ in “toggle”

5. N-Row: na, ni, nu, ne, no

な
na
に
ni
ぬ
nu
ね
ne
の
no

5.1 な (na)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana な na

Pronunciation of な:

  • like ‘na‘ in “nan bread”
  • like ‘na‘ in “Narnia”
  • like ‘nu‘ in “number”

5.2 に (ni)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana に ni

Pronunciation of に:

  • like ‘ni‘ in “ninja”
  • like ‘ni‘ in “Nixon”
  • like ‘nea‘ in “near”

5.3 ぬ (nu)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana ぬ nu

Pronunciation of ぬ:

  • like ‘nu‘ in “kanu“
  • like ‘nu‘ in “numerous”
  • like ‘nu‘ in “nutritious”

5.4 ね (ne)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana ね ne

Pronunciation of ね:

  • like ‘ne‘ in “next”
  • like ‘ne‘ in “nest”
  • like ‘ne‘ in “never”

5.5 の (no)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana の no

Pronunciation of の:

  • like ‘no‘
  • like ‘no‘ in “normal”
  • like ‘no‘ in “non”

6. H-Row: ha, hi, fu, he, ho

は
ha
ひ
hi
ふ
fu
へ
he
ほ
ho

6.1 は (ha)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana は ha

Pronunciation of は:

  • like ‘ha‘ in “ha ha ha“
  • like ‘ha‘ in “hard”
  • like ‘hu‘ in “hunter”

6.2 ひ (hi)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana ひ hi

Pronunciation of ひ:

  • like ‘hi‘ in “hint”
  • like ‘hi‘ in “Himalaya”
  • like ‘hy‘ in “hystery”

6.3 ふ (fu)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana ふ fu

Pronunciation of ふ:

  • like ‘f‘ in “full”
  • like ‘f‘ in “fur”
  • like ‘ff‘ in “huff“

6.4 へ (he)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana へ he

Pronunciation of へ:

  • like ‘he‘ in “helicopter”
  • like ‘he‘ in “hesitant”
  • like ‘he‘ in “hell”

6.5 ほ (ho)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana ほ ho

Pronunciation of ほ:

  • like ‘ho‘ in “ho ho ho“
  • like ‘ho‘ in “hot”
  • like ‘ho‘ in “home”

7. M-Row: ma, mi, mu, me, mo

ま
ma
み
mi
む
mu
め
me
も
mo

7.1 ま (ma)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana ま ma

Pronunciation of ま:

  • like ‘ma‘ in “mama”
  • like ‘ma‘ in “mark”
  • like ‘ma‘ in “mask”

7.2 み (mi)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana み mi

Pronunciation of み:

  • like ‘mi‘ in “mist”
  • like ‘mi‘ in “milk”
  • like ‘mi‘ in “mix”

7.3 む (mu)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana む mu

Pronunciation of む:

  • like ‘moo‘
  • like ‘mo‘ in “movie”
  • like ‘moo‘ in “moon”

7.4 め (me)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana め me

Pronunciation of め:

  • like ‘me‘ in “mess”
  • like ‘me‘ in “merry”
  • like ‘me‘ in “Mexico”

7.5 も (mo)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana も mo

Pronunciation of も:

  • like ‘mo‘ in “moss”
  • like ‘mo‘ in “more”
  • like ‘mo‘ in “monster”

8. R-Row: ra, ri, ru, re, ro

ら
ra
り
ri
る
ru
れ
re
ろ
ro

8.1 ら (ra)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana ら ra

Pronunciation of ら:

  • like ‘la‘ in “large”
  • like ‘la‘ in “last”
  • like ‘la‘ in “lavender”

8.2 り (ri)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana り ri

Pronunciation of り:

  • like ‘li‘ in “list”
  • like ‘li‘ in “limb”
  • like ‘li‘ in “lip”

8.3 る (ru)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana る ru

Pronunciation of る:

  • like ‘lu‘ in “luna”
  • like ‘lu‘ in “lucid”
  • like ‘lu‘ in “luminosity”

8.4 れ (re)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana れ re

Pronunciation of れ:

  • like ‘le‘ in “lend”
  • like ‘le‘ in “left”
  • like ‘le‘ in “lemon”

8.5 ろ (ro)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana ろ ro

Pronunciation of ろ:

  • like ‘lo‘ in “lost”
  • like ‘lo‘ in “long”
  • like ‘lo‘ in “lock”

9. Y-Row: ya, yu, yo

や
ya
ゆ
yu
よ
yo


9.1 や (ya)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana や ya

Pronunciation of や:

  • like ‘ya‘ in “yard”
  • like ‘ya‘ in “yahoo”
  • like ‘ya‘ in “yakuza”

9.2 ゆ (yu)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana ゆ yu

Pronunciation of ゆ:

  • like ‘you‘
  • like ‘u‘ in “universe”
  • like ‘u‘ in “unicorn”

9.3 よ (yo)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana よ yo

Pronunciation of よ:

  • like ‘yo‘ in “yo-yo”
  • like ‘yo‘ in “New York”
  • like ‘yo‘ in “yoghurt”

10. W-Row: wa, wo

わ
wa
を
wo

10.1 わ (wa)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana わ wa

Pronunciation of わ:

  • like ‘wa‘ in “wand”
  • like ‘wa‘ in “waffle”
  • like ‘wi‘ in “wise”

10.2 を (wo)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana を wo

Pronunciation of を:

  • like ‘o‘ in “on”
  • like ‘wa‘ in “want”
  • like ‘wa‘ in “waltz”

11. N-Row: n

ん
n




11.1 ん (n)

Learn to Read and Write Hiragana ん n

Pronunciation of ん:

  • like ‘n‘ in “account”
  • like ‘n‘ in “Johnny”
  • like ‘n‘ in “want”