☆ WHAT IS JAPANESE? ☆
Japanese is the primary language spoken in Japan. In Japanese, the language is called 日本語, pronounced にほんご or nihongo.
Japanese may look very different from English, but beginners can learn it step by step. Japanese pronunciation is fairly consistent, which means words are usually pronounced according to clear sound patterns.
Japanese uses three main writing systems: hiragana, katakana, and kanji. These systems are often used together in the same sentence.
わたしはアメリカ人です。
This sentence contains hiragana, katakana, and kanji together.
☆ THE THREE WRITING SYSTEMS ☆
HIRAGANA
ひらがな
- Used for Japanese words
- Used for grammar endings
- Often taught first
- Contains 46 basic characters
Hello
KATAKANA
カタカナ
- Used for foreign words
- Used for foreign names
- Used for sound effects
- Has sharper-looking characters
Computer
KANJI
漢字
- Characters with meaning
- Originally came from Chinese
- May have multiple readings
- Used for many nouns and verbs
Japan
☆ JAPANESE PRONUNCIATION ☆
Japanese pronunciation is built around a small group of clear sounds. The five basic vowels are あ, い, う, え, and お.
These vowel sounds stay mostly consistent, unlike English vowels, which can sound different in words such as “cat,” “cake,” and “car.”
| Hiragana | Roman Letter | Approximate Sound | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| あ | A | “ah” | father |
| い | I | “ee” | see |
| う | U | “oo” | food |
| え | E | “eh” | bed |
| お | O | “oh” | open |
☆ WHAT WILL YOU STUDY? ☆
☆ JAPANESE LANGUAGE FACTS ☆
Hiragana, katakana, and kanji can all appear in a single Japanese sentence.
Japanese sentences often place the verb at the end.
Japanese speakers often leave out the subject when it is already clear from context.
Japanese words and sentence endings can change depending on formality.
☆ MINI QUIZ ☆
1. Which writing system is commonly used for foreign words?
2. Which writing system is usually taught first?
3. What sound does あ represent?