Hiragana

あ

Pronounced 'a', it is used as a syllable for various words.

い

Pronounced 'i', representing sounds like in 'machine'.

う

Pronounced 'u', similar to the sound in 'moo'.

え

Pronounced 'e', it is similar to the sound in 'bed'.

お

Pronounced 'o', similar to the sound in 'hop'.

か

Pronounced 'ka', combining 'k' and 'a' sounds.

き

Pronounced 'ki', used in words such as 'kira'.

く

Pronounced 'ku', combining 'k' and 'u' sounds.

け

Pronounced 'ke', found in words like 'ketsu'.

こ

Pronounced 'ko', used similarly to 'co'.

さ

Pronounced 'sa', with a soft 's' sound.

し

Pronounced 'shi', used in words like 'shiro'.

す

Pronounced 'su', sounding like 'sue'.

せ

Pronounced 'se', similar to 'say'.

そ

Pronounced 'so', used similarly to 'so'.

た

Pronounced 'ta', with a similar sound as 'tar'.

ち

Pronounced 'chi', like 'cheese' without 'ze'.

つ

Pronounced 'tsu', it has a unique ts sound.

て

Pronounced 'te', similar to 'te' in 'ten'.

と

Pronounced 'to', like in 'tot'.

な

Pronounced 'na', used in common words.

に

Pronounced 'ni', similar to 'knee'.

ぬ

Pronounced 'nu', sounding like 'new'.

ね

Pronounced 'ne', like the English 'nay'.

の

Pronounced 'no', similar to the English 'no'.

は

Pronounced 'ha', used in greetings.

ひ

Pronounced 'hi', similar to 'hee'.

ふ

Pronounced 'fu', it sounds like 'foo'.

へ

Pronounced 'he', similar to 'hay'.

ほ

Pronounced 'ho', like in 'ho-ho-ho'.

ま

Pronounced 'ma', with a soft 'm' sound.

み

Pronounced 'mi', like 'me'.

む

Pronounced 'mu', sounding like 'moo'.

め

Pronounced 'me', like in 'may'.

も

Pronounced 'mo', similar to 'mow'.

や

Pronounced 'ya', found in words like 'yami'.

ゆ

Pronounced 'yu', similar to 'you'.

よ

Pronounced 'yo', as in 'yo-yo'.

ら

Pronounced 'ra', a softer 'r' sound.

り

Pronounced 'ri', like the start of 'reef'.

る

Pronounced 'ru', sounding like 'roo'.

れ

Pronounced 're', similar to 'ray'.

ろ

Pronounced 'ro', like in 'row'.

わ

Pronounced 'wa', it is often used in greetings.

を

Pronounced 'wo', used to denote the object of a verb.

ん

Pronounced 'n', it is a nasal sound at the end of words.