Guidelines on how to create katakana words accurately

When is Katakana used? Katakana represents borrowed words from foreign languages (mostly English but also Dutch, French, German, Portuguese, and some Chinese) onomatopoeic words eg. meiow, twinkle, knock knock, トントン

Why is ‘Japanese English’ so different? Japanese has a much simpler sound system than English. Borrowed words need to be adjusted to suit the Japanese sound system. The result is ‘Japanese English’. Many words sound completely different to the original borrowed English word. Example: table = テーブル　（teeburu）

Consonants class = クラス (kurasu) In English words can have up to 3 consonants in a row. ie. stream. But, in Japanese all consonants are followed by a vowel (except for ‘n’). Change English words into Katakana by adding a vowel after consonants: Consonants ‘t’ or ‘d’ add ‘o’ = to, do Consonant ‘k’ add ‘u’ or ‘i’ = ki, ku All other single consonants add ‘u’.= ru, su, bu,mu etc. Example: class = クラス　(kurasu)

ジム ガス Practice - Consonants cake (keeki) How would you read these words? ジム ガス Can you write this word in katakana? cake (keeki)

ジム ガス jimu (gym) gasu (gas) ケーキ ANSWERS cake (keeki) How would you read these words? ジム ガス jimu (gym) gasu (gas) Can you write this word in katakana? ケーキ cake (keeki)

Long vowel sounds cheese = チーズ (chiizu) Some English vowels sound longer. ie. live vs leave Long vowel sounds are changed into Katakana by adding the symbol “ー”. Example: cheese = チーズ　(chiizu)

Practice – Long vowel sounds How would you read these words? ゲーム 　アイスクリーム Can you write this word in katakana? coffee (koohii)

geemu (game) aisukuriimu (icecream) ANSWERS How would you read these words? ゲーム アイスクリーム geemu (game) aisukuriimu (icecream) Can you write this word in katakana? コーヒー coffee (koohii)

Vowel + R girlfriend = ガールフレンド (gaarufurendo) A vowel followed by ‘r’ (ie. er, ir, or) is written as a long vowel sound in Katakana. The vowel before the ‘r’ is lengthened by adding the symbol “ー”. Example: girlfriend = ガールフレンド　 (gaarufurendo)

アパート サーカス Practice – Vowel + R course (koosu) How would you read these words? アパート 　サーカス Can you write this word in katakana? course (koosu)

apaato (apartment) saakasu (circus) ANSWERS How would you read these words? アパート 　サーカス apaato (apartment) saakasu (circus) Can you write this word in katakana? コース course (koosu)

(Remember the small tsu creates a pause before the next sound.) Hard consonant sounds When an English syllable ends with a hard sounding consonant (p, b, t, d, k, g, s, sh) these are changed into Katakana by adding a small ‘ッ (tsu) before the hard consonant. Example: truck = トラック　(torakku) (Remember the small tsu creates a pause before the next sound.)

Practice – Hard consonant sounds How would you read these words? エッグ 　ベッド Can you write this word in katakana? bag (baggu)

ANSWERS バッグ エッグ ベッド eggu (egg) beddo (bed) bag (baggu) How would you read these words? エッグ 　ベッド eggu (egg) beddo (bed) Can you write this word in katakana? バッグ bag (baggu)

J in Katakana orange = オレンジ (orenji) The ‘j’ sound, when it doesn’t have a vowel sound after it, changes to ‘シ ji’. Example: orange = 　オレンジ　(orenji)

Practice – J in Katakana How would you read these words? チャレンジ　　 ジョージ Can you write this word in katakana? orangejuice (orenjijuusu)

charenji (challenge) jooji (George) ANSWERS How would you read these words? チャレンジ　　 ジョージ charenji (challenge) jooji (George) Can you write this word in katakana? オレンジジュース orangejuice

family = ファミリー (famirii) F in Katakana F by itself or followed by a ‘u’ sound is represented by ‘フfu’. F followed by other vowels are written with ‘フ　fu’ and small ァa　ィi　ェe　ォo ie. fa ファ　fi　フィ　fe フェ　fo フォ Example: family = ファミリー　(famirii)

Practice – F in Katakana How would you read these words? フィルム　　 フェリー Can you write this word in katakana? France (furansu)

firumu (film) ferii (ferry) ANSWERS How would you read these words? フィルム　　 フェリー firumu (film) ferii (ferry) Can you write this word in katakana? フランス France (furansu)

W in Katakana water = ウォーター (uootaa) The ‘w’ sound in Japanese can occur with ‘a’ and written in katakana as ‘ワ wa’. For all other vowels after the ‘w’ sound changes the ‘w’ to ‘ウ u’ followed by and small ィi　ェe　ォo ie. wi　ウィ　we ウェ　wo ウォ Example: water = 　ウォーター (uootaa)

Practice – W in Katakana How would you read these words? ウエーター　　 ウィーク Can you write this word in katakana? whiskey (uisukii)

ueetaa (waiter) uiiku (week) ANSWERS How would you read these words? ウエーター　　 ウィーク ueetaa (waiter) uiiku (week) Can you write this word in katakana? ウィスキー whiskey (uisukii)

L and R in Katakana milk = ミルク (miruku) L and R are written as ‘r’ in Katakana. Example: milk = 　ミルク　(miruku)

Practice – L and R in Katakana How would you read these words? ベルト　　 コーラ Can you write this word in katakana? rule (ruuru)

ANSWERS ルール ベルト コーラ beruto koora rule (ruuru) How would you read these words? ベルト　　 コーラ beruto koora Can you write this word in katakana? ルール rule (ruuru)

Ti, Di, Tu in Katakana party = パーティー (paatii) radio = ラジオ (rajio) The ‘ti’ sound changes to ‘ティ’ (typed texi) (or traditionally ‘チ chi’) The ‘di’ sound changes to ‘ディ’ (typed dexi) (or traditionally ‘ジ ji’) The ‘tu’ sound changes to ‘ツ tsu’ or ‘チュ chu’ Example: party = 　パーティー　(paatii) radio = 　ラジオ　(rajio)

ティシュ ティー Practice – Ti, Di and Tu candy (kyandii) How would you read these words? ティシュ 　 ティー Can you write this word in katakana? candy (kyandii)

tishu (tissue) tii (tea) ANSWERS How would you read these words? ティシュ 　 ティー tishu (tissue) tii (tea) Can you write this word in katakana? キャンディー candy (kyandii)

Th in Katakana leather レザー (rezaa) The ‘th’ sound usually changes to ‘s’ (soft ‘th’) or ‘z’ (hard ‘th’) sound (sometimes it changes to just a ‘t’ sound) Example: leather 　レザー　(rezaa)

Practice – Th in Katakana How would you read this word? マザー シアター 　 Can you write this word in katakana? The beatles (za biitoruzu)

The beatles (za biitoruzu) ANSWERS How would you read these words? マザー 　 シアター mazaa (mother)　shiataa (theatre) Can you write this word in katakana? ザ・ビートルズ The beatles (za biitoruzu)

バレンタインデー(barentaindee) V in Katakana The ‘v’ sound usually changes to ‘b’. (recently katakana ‘u’ with a tenten ‘ヴ vu’ is used) Example: valentine’s day = 　 バレンタインデー(barentaindee)

Practice – V in Katakana How would you read this word? ビデオゲーム 　 Can you write this word in katakana?

vegetarian (bejaterian) ANSWERS How would you read these words? ビデオゲーム bideogeemu (video game) Can you write this word in katakana? ベジャテリアン vegetarian (bejaterian)

Ye in Katakana yellow = イェロー (ieroo) The ‘y’ sound in Japanese only occurs with ‘a, u, o’. There is no ‘ye’ sound so this is changed into katakana by writing it as ‘イエ ie’. Example: yellow = イェロー (ieroo)

Practice – Ye in Katakana How would you read this word? イヤー 　 Can you write this word in katakana? Yale (ieru)

イエル イヤー iyaa (year) ANSWERS Yale (ieru) How would you read this word? Can you write this word in katakana? イエル Yale (ieru)