☆ WELCOME TO THE S ROW! ☆
You have already learned the vowel row and the K row. Now it is time to add the S row.
sa shi su se so
Most of this row follows the pattern you already know. However, one character is a little different:
し is pronounced SHI, not "si."
☆ MEET THE S ROW ☆
SA
Sounds like "sah."
asa
morning
SHI
This one breaks the simple S + vowel pattern.
sushi
sushi
SU
The "u" can sound very light in normal Japanese speech.
suki
like / liked
SE
Sounds roughly like "seh."
sekai
world
SO
Sounds roughly like "soh."
soko
there
☆ SAY THEM OUT LOUD ☆
Read the row slowly:
sa shi su se so
Remember: do not read し as "si."
☆ CHARACTER REVIEW ☆
| Hiragana | Romaji | Sound |
|---|---|---|
| さ | sa | sah |
| し | shi | shee |
| す | su | soo |
| せ | se | seh |
| そ | so | soh |
☆ WRITING PRACTICE ☆
Write each character several times while saying its sound.
☆ WORDS YOU CAN READ ☆
You now know enough hiragana to read many more useful words!
Try reading each word before looking at the romaji.
like / liked
a little
there
chair
umbrella
morning
sweets / snack
sushi
☆ REMEMBER し! ☆
Most rows are easy to predict from their consonant and vowel.
し = shi
す = su
せ = se
そ = so
You may sometimes see "si" used in certain systems of romanization, but shi is the spelling you will usually encounter as a beginner.
☆ RECOGNITION PRACTICE ☆
す せ し
そ さ す
Now mix all the hiragana you have learned:
す え き せ
こ さ い く
☆ MINI QUIZ ☆
1. Which sound does さ represent?
2. How is し pronounced?
3. Which hiragana represents "su"?
4. How would you read すき?
5. What does そこ mean?