I Love KanjiKatakana chart and practice カタカナ
Katakana is the second Japanese phonetic script. It has the same 46 sounds as hiragana and is used mainly for foreign loanwords and names (テレビ, terebi, TV). Learn it right after hiragana.
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ア
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Katakana chart
アa
イi
ウu
エe
オo
カka
キki
クku
ケke
コko
サsa
シshi
スsu
セse
ソso
タta
チchi
ツtsu
テte
トto
ナna
ニni
ヌnu
ネne
ノno
ハha
ヒhi
フfu
ヘhe
ホho
マma
ミmi
ムmu
メme
モmo
ヤya
ユyu
ヨyo
ラra
リri
ルru
レre
ロro
ワwa
ヲo
ンn
Dakuten and handakuten (voiced sounds)
Two dashes (゛) or a small circle (゜) change the consonant: カ ka → ガ ga, ハ ha → パ pa.
ガga
ギgi
グgu
ゲge
ゴgo
ザza
ジji
ズzu
ゼze
ゾzo
ダda
ヂji
ヅzu
デde
ドdo
バba
ビbi
ブbu
ベbe
ボbo
パpa
ピpi
プpu
ペpe
ポpo
Combinations (yōon)
A small ャ, ュ or ョ after an i-row character makes one syllable.
キャkya
キュkyu
キョkyo
シャsha
シュshu
ショsho
チャcha
チュchu
チョcho
ニャnya
ニュnyu
ニョnyo
ヒャhya
ヒュhyu
ヒョhyo
ミャmya
ミュmyu
ミョmyo
リャrya
リュryu
リョryo
ギャgya
ギュgyu
ギョgyo
ジャja
ジュju
ジョjo
ビャbya
ビュbyu
ビョbyo
ピャpya
ピュpyu
ピョpyo
Tips
- Learn one row a day (a, ka, sa …) and quiz yourself before moving on.
- Read real words as soon as possible – e.g. コーヒー (coffee) and テレビ (TV).
- Watch out for look-alikes: シ/ツ, ソ/ン, ク/ケ/タ, ウ/ワ.
Questions
What is katakana used for?
Mainly for words borrowed from other languages (コーヒー, kōhī, coffee), foreign names, many animal and plant names in science, sound effects and emphasis.
What does the long dash ー mean?
It lengthens the vowel before it: コーヒー is ko-o-hi-i.
Should I learn katakana after hiragana?
Yes – it has the same sounds in a different shape, so it goes quickly once hiragana is solid.
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Last reviewed 2026-10-09 by the I Love Kanji team.