Katakana chart and quiz
Katakana is the Japanese alphabet for foreign words, names and emphasis: 46 basic characters, matching hiragana sound for sound. Here is the full chart with romaji, the extra sounds and a quiz.
The gojūon chart
Read each row from left to right. The gaps are intentional: modern Japanese does not use every possible combination. を is pronounced o; wo is also accepted in the quiz.
| a | i | u | e | o |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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wo | |||
| ンn |
Dakuten and handakuten
Two small strokes voice a sound, as in か ka becoming が ga. A small circle turns the h row into the p row, as in は ha becoming ぱ pa.
| a | i | u | e | o |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Combined sounds (yōon)
An i-column kana combines with a small ゃ, ゅ or ょ to make one sound, as in きゃ kya. The quiz accepts common alternative spellings.
| ya | yu | yo |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Characters people mix up
- シ/ツ
- ソ/ン
- ク/ケ
- ウ/ワ
- ス/ヌ
The long-vowel mark ー
The mark ー lengthens the vowel before it: コーヒー koohii means coffee. It is not a separate quiz character.
A quick quiz
Type the romaji. Choose a row or sound group for a ten-question round. Small groups repeat characters.
To review
Practice speaking free
Reading it is the first step. In PollyStop you use it in real conversations with Polly, your AI tutor, and practice out loud.
Practice speaking freeFrequently asked questions
How long does it take to learn katakana?
Most people can read all 46 in one to two weeks with ten minutes a day. Writing takes longer.
Should I learn hiragana or katakana first?
Hiragana. It's used for grammar and native words, so you see it in almost every sentence.
Why does Japanese have two alphabets?
Hiragana writes native words and grammar; katakana writes words borrowed from other languages, names and sound effects.
Can I print this chart?
Yes. Use "Print / save as PDF" for a clean chart without the quiz.
Practice speaking free
Reading it is the first step. In PollyStop you use it in real conversations with Polly, your AI tutor, and practice out loud.
Practice speaking free