Memorizing the Hiragana/Dakuten
Dakuten ( ﾞ ) and Handakuten ( ﾟ ) are marks placed after certain hiragana that modify the way the consonant is pronounced. These marks indicate that the consonant of the syllable should be voiced.
| normal | with dakuten ( ﾞ ) | with handakuten ( ﾟ ) |
|---|---|---|
| か = ka | が = ga | |
| さ = sa | ざ = za | |
| た = ta | だ = da | |
| は = ha | ば = ba | ぱ = pa |
Exceptions edit
"Shi" (し) turns into "Ji" (じ)
"Chi" (ち) also turns into "Ji" (ぢ)
"Tsu" (つ) turns into "Zu" (づ)
Iteration marks edit
Iteration marks ( ゝ) indicate that a sound is to be repeated. Iteration marks can also be combined with dakuten.
| normal | with iteration ( ゝ ) | with dakuten iteration ( ゞ ) |
|---|---|---|
| す = su | すゝ = susu | すゞ = suzu |
Sokuon edit
Sokuon (っ) is a symbol consisting of a small Tsu (compare with normal Tsu: つ). It is used to insert a slight pause.
For example: うた = song うった = hard
The Sokuon gives a pause to make a meaningful sound.
Chōonpu edit
Chōonpu (ー) is a symbol used to indicate a long vowel sound. Long vowels can also be written by using the corresponding vowel hiragana.
| normal | with chōonpu ( ー ) | is the same as |
|---|---|---|
| ぷ = pu | ぷー = puu | ぷう = puu |