Study Guide
Katakana Mastery Guide
A complete guide to Katakana for Japanese beginners. Learn how to read foreign loanwords, onomatopoeia, and scientific terms easily.
Katakana is mainly used for foreign loanwords (gairaigo), emphasis, and onomatopoeia. While it shares the same sounds as Hiragana, its sharp, angular strokes make it distinct.
Mastering Loanwords (Gairaigo)
Words from other languages are adapted to fit Japanese phonetics. This can sometimes make them unrecognizable at first!
| English | Katakana | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee | コーヒー | Koohii |
| Restroom | トイレ | Toire |
| Ice Cream | アイスクリーム | Aisukuriimu |
The Long Vowel Mark (ー)
A horizontal line (or vertical in vertical text) called the Chouonpu is used to lengthen vowel sounds, a critical feature for pronouncing loanwords correctly.
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