Hiragana Flashcards
あ
a
あ (a) makes any hiragana ending in “a” become long.
Ex: かあ - kaa
い
i
い makes any hiragana ending in “i” become long.
Ex: にい - nii
い (i) makes any hiragana ending in “e” become long.
Ex: がくせい (gakusei) - student
Ex2: せんせい (sensei) - teacher; professor
う
u
う makes any hiragana ending in “u” become long.
Ex: くう - kuu
う (u) makes any hiragana ending in “o” become long.
Ex: ここ (koko) - here
こうこう (koukou) - high school
え
e
お
o
か
ka
き
ki
く
ku
け
ke
こ
ko
が
ga
ぎ
gi
ぐ
gu
げ
ge
ご
go
さ
sa
し
si / shi
す
su
せ
se
そ
so
ざ
za
じ
zi / ji
ず
zu
ぜ
ze
ぞ
zo
た
ta
ち
ti / chi
つ
tu / tsu
A small “tsu” (っ) before the hiragana makes the consonant long (or doubled). The small “tsu” (っ) is not pronounced.
Ex: いつか - itsuka
いっか - ikka
The meaning of a word completely changes if there is a small “tsu” (っ).
Ex: いて ください。(ite kudasai) - Please stay.
いって ください。(itte kudasai) - Please go.
The small “tsu” (っ) cannot be used before the hiragana な (na), に (ni), ぬ (nu), ね (ne), and の (no). To make these consonants long, we add ん (n).
Ex: ✅ correct: さんねん (sannen) - three years
❌ incorrect: さっねん
Ex2: ✅ correct: こんな (konna) - this kind
❌ incorrect: こっな
て
te
と
to
だ
da
ぢ
di / ji
づ
du
で
de
ど
do
な
na
に
ni
ぬ
nu
ね
ne
の
no
は
ha
The subject particle “wa” is spelled as the hiragana は (ha). This is the only time when we write は (ha) and pronounce it as “wa”.
ひ
hi
ふ
hu / fu
へ
he
ほ
ho
ば
ba
び
bi
ぶ
bu
べ
be
ぼ
bo
ぱ
pa
ぴ
pi
ぷ
pu
ぺ
pe
ぽ
po
ま
ma
み
mi
む
mu
め
me
も
mo
や
ya
There are small forms of や (ya). It blends with the previous hiragana to create one sound.
Ex: きや (kiya)
きゃ (kya)
We can only combine や (ya) with the hiragana letters that end with the sound “i”.
They are き (ki), ぎ (gi), し (shi), じ (ji), ち(chi), に (ni), み (mi), ひ (hi), び (bi), ぴ (pi) and り (ri). Let’s start with き (ki) and ぎ (gi)!
ゆ
yu
There are small forms of ゆ (yu). It blends with the previous hiragana to create one sound.
We can only combine ゆ (yu) with the hiragana letters that end with the sound “i”.
They are き (ki), ぎ (gi), し (shi), じ (ji), ち(chi), に (ni), み (mi), ひ (hi), び (bi), ぴ (pi) and り (ri). Let’s start with き (ki) and ぎ (gi)!
よ
yo
There are small forms of よ (yo). It blends with the previous hiragana to create one sound.
We can only combine よ (yo) with the hiragana letters that end with the sound “i”.
They are き (ki), ぎ (gi), し (shi), じ (ji), ち(chi), に (ni), み (mi), ひ (hi), び (bi), ぴ (pi) and り (ri). Let’s start with き (ki) and ぎ (gi)!
ら
ra
り
ri
る
ru
れ
re
ろ
ro
わ
wa
を
wo / o
ん
nn
