Hiragana
ひらがな

Katakana
カタカナ

Romaji


A

I

U

E

O




Ka
Ga



Ki
Gi



Ku
Gu



Ke
Ge



Ko
Go




Sa
Za



Shi
Ji



Su
Zu



Se
Ze



So
Zo

NOTE: Shi sounds like the English word “She”.
Ji sounds like in “Jeep”.



Ta
Da



Chi
Ji



Tsu
Du



Te
De



To
Do

NOTE: Chi sounds like in “Cheap”, not like “Charm”.

Ji sounds like in “Jeep”.

Na

Ni

Nu

Ne

No






Ha
Ba
Pa





Hi
Bi
Pi





Fu
Bu
Pu





He
Be
Pe





Ho
Bo
Po

NOTE: Fu sounds like a breathed out Hu, something between Fu and Hu.
The B sounds can be used as V or B sounds.

Ma

Mi

Mu

Me

Mo


Ya

Yu

Yo

NOTE: All the Y sounds sound like in “Yoghurt”, or “Yahoo”.

Ra

Ri

Ru

Re

Ro

NOTE: All the R sounds are no R sounds, nor are L sounds.
That's something between them, a clipped L.

Wa

Wo

N

NOTE: Wo is actually a heavy O sound.