After mastering hiragana, one of the three Japanese writing systems, the natural next step is to learn katakana, the second Japanese syllabary. Commonly used to write loanwords, katakana represent the same set of sounds as hiragana, but they look completely different.

Katakana characters are typically boxier and more geometric, with sharp corners, in contrast to hiragana’s soft, flowing curves.

Many learners find katakana a bit tricky at first. Some characters look quite similar to each other, and it’s easy to mix them up. But don’t worry! In this guide, we’ll explain what katakana is, when to use it, and provide a free printable katakana chart to help you memorize and practice with ease.

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What is Katakana?

Katakana, written カタカナ,  is one of the three main scripts used in the Japanese writing system, alongside hiragana and kanji. It is a phonetic syllabary, meaning that each character represents a specific sound or syllable, not an idea or meaning like kanji. 

Katakana consists of 46 basic characters, such as ka (カ), shi (シ), or to (ト), plus their additional modified forms. Both katakana and hiragana — and the Japanese language as a whole — are built around five core vowels: A, I, U, E, and O. 

Beyond the basic characters, there are also modified versions that represent long vowels and double consonants. There are also combination sounds like kya, shu, and cho.

The five vowels in katakana and hiragana look something like this: 

Katakana	Romanization	Pronunciation	Example
ア	A	ah	“art”
イ	I	ee	“see”
ウ	U	oo	“food”
エ	E	eh	“met”
オ	O	oh	“go”

This system might feel very different if you’re coming from English, which only has 5 vowel letters, but nearly 20 vowel sounds — plus many diphthongs (blended vowel sounds like in ride or loud).

Read More: Differences Between English and Japanese Language

Download Free Katakana Chart 

To get started, download this chart, which includes all the katakana characters (including the variations) you’ll be learning on this page. 

If you have access to a printer, printing it out can be helpful, but you can also follow along digitally if you prefer, or save them as a picture so you can review them on your phone!

If you haven’t already, be sure to also download our free hiragana chart, which also includes a printable practice sheet!

Katakana Chart Overview

Like hiragana, basic katakana consists of 46 core characters that represent the fundamental sounds of the Japanese language.

	A	I	U	E	O
	ア	イ	ウ	エ	オ
K	カ	キ	ク	ケ	コ
S	サ	シ	ス	セ	ソ
T	タ	チ	ツ	テ	ト
N	ナ	ニ	ヌ	ネ	ノ
H	ハ	ヒ	フ	ヘ	ホ
M	マ	ミ	ム	メ	モ
Y	ヤ		ユ		ヨ
R	ラ	リ	ル	レ	ロ
W	ワ				ヲ
N	ン

Click on the play icon next to each character to hear how it sounds!

ア

イ

ウ

エ

オ

カ

キ

ク

ケ

コ

サ

シ

ス

セ

ソ

タ

チ

ツ

テ

ト

ナ

ニ

ヌ

ネ

ノ

ハ

ヒ

フ

ヘ

ホ

マ

ミ

ム

メ

モ

ヤ

ユ

ヨ

ラ

リ

ル

レ

ロ

ワ

ヲ

ン

Handakuten, Dakuten, and Small Kana in Katakana

However, katakana is especially useful for adapting foreign words, and this is where dakuten, handakuten, and small kana combinations come into play. These diacritical marks allow for more flexible pronunciation in both native and borrowed words.

Dakuten (゛) and handakuten (゜) are small marks that change the pronunciation of certain characters:

• Dakuten (゛) adds a voiced sound (e.g. k → g, s → z)
• Handakuten (゜) adds a “p” sound (used only with ハ-row sounds)

Here’s how they modify the basic katakana characters through dakuten and handakuten:

K to G	S to Z	T to D	H to B	H to P
カ → ガ (ga)	サ → ザ (za)	タ → ダ (da)	ハ → バ (ba)	ハ → パ (pa)
キ → ギ (gi)	シ → ジ (ji)	チ → ヂ (ji)	ヒ → ビ (bi)	ヒ → ピ (pi)
ク → グ (gu)	ス → ズ (zu)	ツ → ヅ (zu)	フ → ブ (bu)	フ → プ (pu)
ケ → ゲ (ge)	セ → ゼ (ze)	テ → デ (de)	ヘ → ベ (be)	ヘ → ペ (pe)
コ → ゴ (go)	ソ → ゾ (zo)	ト → ド (do)	ホ → ボ (bo)	ホ → ポ (po)

Handakuten and Dakuten in Katakana

G	ガ	ギ	グ	ゲ	ゴ
Z	ザ	ジ	ズ	ゼ	ゾ
D	ダ	ヂ	ヅ	デ	ド
B	バ	ビ	ブ	ベ	ボ
P	パ	ピ	プ	ペ	ポ

Combo Sounds

	YA	YU	YO
K	キャ	キュ	キョ
S	シャ	シュ	ショ
T	チャ	チュ	チョ
N	ニャ	ニュ	ニョ
H	ヒャ	ヒュ	ヒョ
M	ミャ	ミュ	ミョ
R	リャ	リュ	リョ
G	ギャ	ギュ	ギョ
J	ジャ	ジュ	ジョ
B	ビャ	ビュ	ビョ
P	ピャ	ピュ	ピョ

How to Use the Katakana Chart Effectively

Using our katakana chart effectively involves understanding its purpose, practicing regularly, and applying it in context. Here’s a guide to help you make the most out of your Katakana learning:

1. Familiarize yourself with the chart layout 

The Katakana chart is organized by consonant-vowel pairs (e.g., ka, ki, ku, ke, ko).

2. Practice slowly

Start by memorizing the basic 46 characters before moving on to extended sounds (like ガ, ギ, グ).

A tip is to learn katakana one consonant line per day — such as starting with the “K” katakana, and then moving on to the “T.” Breaking the whole chart into smaller study sessions helps with retaining the characters more effectively and avoiding burnout.

3. Practice writing each character

Use the stroke order indicated in the chart to write each character neatly. Writing helps reinforce memory and improves your ability to recognize the characters

We even recommend starting to practice writing words with katakana, so you can start applying the letters to real examples. 

4. Use flashcards or apps to test recognition

Learning through flashcard apps like Anki helps you remember katakana through spaced repetition, encouraging active recall and reinforcing your memory over time. There are many recommended Anki decks for learning Japanese available.

Besides Anki, there are other great apps designed specifically for learning katakana and hiragana. 

Read More: Top Japanese Learning Apps to Download 

How Is Katakana Used?

While hiragana is mainly used for native Japanese words and grammar, Katakana is primarily used for foreign loanwords, though its usage extends far beyond that. Because katakana looks visually distinct from Hiragana, you can easily tell them apart in text, and this difference serves an important purpose.

1. Foreign loanwords

Called garaigo, Japanese loanwords borrowed from other languages, especially English, are written in katakana — although there are plenty of Japanese loanwords that don’t come from English.

Examples of katakana use in loanwords:

English Translation	Katakana	Romaji
Computer	コンピュータ	konpyuuta
Television	テレビ	terebi
Coffee	コーヒー	koohii

2. Foreign names and places

Names of people, places, and brands from outside Japan are written in katakana.

English Name	Katakana	Romaji
John	ジョン	jon
Paris	パリ	pari
McDonald’s	マクドナルド	Makudonarudo

If you are interested in knowing your name in Japanese, check out our useful guide on how to convert your name into Japanese and use katakana!

Read More: What Is My Name in Japanese? Japanese Name Generator

3. Onomatopoeia and sound effects

Ever heard of onomatopoeia? It’s a word that phonetically imitates or suggests the sound it describes.

Japanese onomatopoeia is a bit unique because it doesn’t just mimic sounds—it’s also used to describe movements, feelings, and states. These words are often written in katakana to express sounds or conditions.

You’ll commonly find onomatopoeia in manga, anime, and advertisements.

• ドキドキ (dokidoki) — heartbeat
• ガタン (gatan) — clatter

Read More: Fun Japanese Onomatopoeia You Need to Know

4. Emphasis on a word

In the Japanese language, katakana isn’t just used for foreign words. Katakana can also add emphasis, even if those words are traditionally written in hiragana and kanji. 

Because katakana has a visually striking, angular shape, it naturally draws the reader’s attention, similar to how italics or boldface work in English.

In fact, you’ll often see katakana used this way in advertisements and signage to make key words pop.

For example:

カラダにいい！
Karada ni ii
Good for your body!

彼はすごくカッコイイ！
Kare wa sugoku カッコイイ!
He’s really cool!

5. Scientific and technical terms

Yes, katakana is also used for technical and scientific terms, including the scientific names of plants and animals. This convention helps distinguish the word from ordinary Japanese words. 

Common Katakana Writing Mistakes to Avoid

Katakana can be tricky because many characters look or sound alike. Here are a few common mix-ups of similar-looking katakana.

1. シ (shi) vs. ツ (tsu)

シ (shi) has three short strokes pointing downward, while ツ (tsu) has strokes pointing to the right.

2. ソ (so) vs. ン (n)

ソ (so) strokes slant down to the left, ン (n)strokes slant down to the right.

3. ヌ (nu) vs. ネ (ne)

Both have diagonal strokes, but ヌ is distinguished by a small loop or hook at the bottom right, while ネ has a more angular shape with straight lines and no loop. 

4. ヲ (wo) vs. ヨ (yo)

ヲ (wo) and ヨ (yo) are often mixed up because they both feature multiple horizontal strokes. However, ヲ includes a curved hook on the left side, giving it a more flowing shape, whereas ヨ consists of three straight, separate horizontal lines stacked vertically — like an inverted E! 

Conclusion

There is no single way to learn Japanese, but we hope the katakana chart becomes a powerful tool to aid your study. Remember to use the chart alongside flashcards and exercises!

Ready to Start Your Japanese Learning Journey?

So what’s next? After mastering hiragana and katakana, it’s time to learn basic phrases and sentence formation. 

Kickstart your journey with Coto Academy, where fun, conversation-focused classes are designed for beginners. Choose from intensive, part-time, or online Japanese courses tailored to help you reach your goals faster!

What is katakana used for?

Katakana is one of the Japanese syllabaries mainly used for writing foreign loanwords, foreign names, onomatopoeia, scientific terms, and sometimes for emphasis, similar to italics in English.

How many characters are in katakana?

 Katakana has 46 basic characters representing distinct syllables, plus a few additional combinations.

What is the difference between katakana and hiragana?

Both represent the same set of sounds but are used differently. Hiragana is mostly used for native Japanese words and grammar particles, while katakana is used for foreign words, names, and emphasis.

Are there any exceptions or irregularities in katakana pronunciation?

Katakana generally follows consistent phonetic rules, but some loanwords may adapt pronunciation to fit Japanese phonology, which can sound slightly different from the original.

Have you started learning Japanese adjectives? Once you get the hang of basic Japanese grammar structure, you will want to form more complex sentences. What happens if you want to say that the dog is cute? Or short? Or friendly? This is where Japanese adjectives come in: to make you express more, rather than just stating the obvious. (Sure, that is a dog, but what about it?)

Japanese adjectives aren’t just used to describe physical appearance or behavior. They’re used as quantifiers — to express emotions and detail dimensions. They’re used to modify a noun. While they function similarly to English, the grammar rules of Japanese adjectives are a little bit complex, too.

This will be a self-study guide on Japanese adjectives, complete with example sentences. We’ll talk you through the two kinds of adjectives and how to use them, but if you want to get more support and direction from native instructors, we suggest you take a look at our online Japanese course.

Before we go further into the article, note that this article will mostly use hiragana, so prior knowledge of them is a must. If you’re still learning them, don’t worry — take a look at our hiragana chart to review them.

Also check out our video explaining い-adjectives and な-adjectives!

What are Adjectives in Japanese?

Adjectives in Japanese, or 形容詞 (keiyoushi), are descriptive words that add details to nouns by describing details about the noun. Adjectives in Japanese operate similarly to those in English, being used to describe the noun in the sentence. Adjectives come in many forms, including:

1. Descriptive adjectives 

Describe physical characteristics such as color (blue or red), size (large or small), the materials of something (wooden or metal), and age (old or young). Here are some common descriptive adjectives in Japanese

Japanese	Furigana	Romaji	English
赤い	あかい	akai	red
青い	あおい	aoi	blue (or green)
黄色	きいろ	kiro	yellow
大きい	おおきい	ookii	large
ちさい	ちさい	chisai	little
若い	わかい	wakai	young
古い	ふるい	furui	old
綺麗	きれい	kirei	pretty/clean
美しい	うつくしい	utsukushii	beautiful
硬い	かたい	katai	hard
柔らかい	やわらかい	yawarakai	soft

2. Quantitative Adjectives

Adjectives also describe the quantity of something, such as how many, how few, or a specific number of something. However, in Japanese, using numbers as an adjective would require using counters, which change based on what thing you are counting. For general objects, it’s common to use the 和語 (wago) or native Japanese counting system (e.g., hitotsu, futatsu, mitsu). 

		Romaji	English
Japanese	Furigana	Romaji	English
多い	おおい	ooi	a lot
たくさん	たくさん	takusan	a lot
少ない	すくない	sukunai	a little
結構	けっこう	kekkou	some
一つ	ひとつ	hitotsu	1 (object)
二つ	ふたつ	futatsu	2 (objects)
三つ	みっつ	mittsu	3 (objects)

To learn more about how counting and numbers work in Japanese, read our blog: How to Count & Read Numbers in Japanese.

3. Proper Adjectives

Similar to nouns, adjectives can also be proper, which can be the names of people, places, and things like products. In English, proper nouns are often conjugated into adjectives, but they will differ depending on the type of noun. In Japanese, it works similarly, but let’s explore how they differ:

Persons:

John → John’s

ジョン → ジョンの

Places: 

Japan → Japanese

日本 (nihon) → 日本の (nihonno)

Things:

Nike → Nike’s (often the ‘s is omitted, e.g., Nike shoes)

ナイキ → ナイキの

In Japanese, you attach the particle の to nouns, whether they are proper or not, to transform it into an adjective. 

4. Adjectives for Abstract Characteristics

Adjectives are also used to describe abstract characteristics such as the function, value, and quality of something or the behavior of someone. For example, a machine can be described as expensive or cheap, and a person can be described as smart or kind.

Japanese	Furigana	Romaji	English
うるさい	うるさい	akai	red
静か	しずか	shizuka	quiet
頭がいい	あたまがいい	atama ga ii	smart
難しい	むずかしい	muzukashii	difficult
優しい	やさしい	yasashii	easy/kind
意地悪	いじわる	ijiwaru	mean
厳しい	きびしい	kibishii	strict
すごい	すごい	sugoi	amazing
美味しい	おいしい	oishii	delicious
高い	たかい	takai	expensive
安い	やすい	yasui	cheap
危ない	あぶない	abunai	dangerous
安全	あんぜん	anzen	safe
早い	はやい	hayai	fast
遅い	おそい	osoi	slow

Just like in English, adjectives in Japanese are descriptors that modify nouns; however, there are 2 different types of grammatical Japanese adjectives to be aware of.

Types of Japanese Adjectives (And How to Use Them)

Japanese adjectives are categorized into two types: な-adjectives and い-adjectives. Their main function is to describe nouns, but these adjectives can also be transformed into nouns themselves.

The easiest way to separate な-adjectives and い-adjectives is by checking the adjective’s ending. More precisely, it is whether the word ends with い or not. For example, 大きい (ookii) is an i-adjective, but 静か is a na-adjective.

Of course, this is a rule of thumb, but there are exceptions you need to note as well. What you need to know are the grammar particles and the way they conjugate.

To know all the basic Japanese adjectives, check out the 100 most common adjectives we’ve collected.

い-adjectives in Japanese

The い-adjective is easy to identify: they end in い. Some い-adjectives might also have a double い (いい), but their stem form will usually stay the same regardless of the form it takes.

In this case, we’ll be using the example 高い (たかい), which means high (height) or expensive (price). Briefly, this is how you will conjugate an い-adjective into different tenses and forms.

Form	Kanji	Hiragana	Meaning
Positive (Present)	高い	たかい	High
Negative (Present)	高くない	たかくない	Not high
Positive (Past)	高かった	たかかった	Was high
Negative (Present)	高くなかった	たかくなかった	Was not high

Present Tense for I-adjectives

To express an い-adjective in the present tense, simply let it take its original stem form and add an 〜い (already joined).

Keep in mind that Japanese does not clearly distinguish between the present and the future tense. A sentence in the present tense can also refer to the future, depending on the context. In other words, Japanese treats them as the same tense.

今日の天気はいいです。
Kyou no tenki wa ii desu.
The weather is nice today.

明日の天気はいいです。
Ashita on tenki wa ii desu.
The weather will be nice tomorrow.

Negative (Present) Tense for I-adjectives

To make a present-tense い-adjective negative, replace the 〜い with 〜くない.

Base Adjective	Rule	Negative Form	Meaning
〜い adjective	〜い → 〜くない	〜くない	not ~

今日は寒くないです。
Kyou wa samukunai desu.
It is not cold today.

Past Tense for I-adjectives

To express an い-adjective in the present tense, you must omit the 〜い from the word’s stem form and join it with a 〜かった.

Base Adjective	Rule	Negative (Past)	Meaning
〜い adjective	〜い → 〜くなかった	〜くなかった	was not ~

あの車が高かったです。
Ano kuruma ga takakatta desu.
That car was expensive.

Negative (Past) Tense for I-adjectives

For this, similar to negative and past adjectives, you can change the 〜い with a new conjugation, which is a combination of くない and かった: 〜くなかった.

Base Adjective	Rule	Negative (Past)	Meaning
〜い adjective	〜い → 〜くなかった	〜くなかった	was not ~

Exception for Adjective

1. 良い (Yoi): Good, well, great

Normally, the stem of an い-adjective stays the same regardless of tense or form. One important exception: いい (good).

Although it is commonly used as いい, the original form is よい (良い). In the present positive tense, both いい and よい can be used, with よい sounding more formal. However, when changing the adjective into negative or past forms, the stem changes to よ, not い.

This is why the correct forms are よくない (not good), よかった (was good), and よくなかった (was not good).

Form	Kanji	Hiragana	Meaning
Positive (Present)	良い	よい；いい	Good; well
Negative (Present)	良くない	よくない	Not good
Positive (Past)	良かった	よかった	Was good
Negative (Present)	良くなかった	よくなかった	Was not good

2. かっこい (Kakkoi): Cool

The same thing can be said with かっこいい (cool). When it becomes a negative form or past tense, the stem changes to よ. Instead of かっこいくない, change it to かっこよくない.

3. きれい (Kirei) and きらい (Kirai)

One last thing: also, it seems like it, きれい (pretty or clean) and きらい (hate or dislike) are actually na-adjectives even though the word ends with い, so be careful!

野菜がきらくない。
Yasai ga kirakunai.
I don’t hate vegetables. (Wrong)

野菜がきらいじゃない。
Yasai ga kirai ja nai.
I don’t hate vegetables. (Correct)

Casual Form for I-adjectives

For the polite form of い-adjective, you will need to add the auxiliary verb of です. For negative and past adjective forms, follow the same conjugational transformation as well.

Form	Casual Form	Polite form	Meaning
Positive (Present)	よい	よい；いいです	Good; well
Negative (Present)	よくない	よくないです	Not good
Positive (Past)	よかった	よかったです	Was good
Negative (Present)	よくなかった	よくなかったです	Was not good

Making it a casual form is easier; simply remove the です and leave it as it is. However, note that this only applies when the adjective is put at the end of the sentence.

A lot of Japanese people will even shorten the adjective and omit the い. For example, when talking with friends in a good mood, people will say すげー instead of すごい to express something amazing, or うまー instead of うまい to compliment a very delicious meal.

な-adjectives in Japanese

A な-adjective, or na keiyoushi (な形容詞), is a type of Japanese adjective that acts like a noun and needs な when directly describing a noun. Unlike い-adjectives, you can’t modify conjugations in な-adjectives directly to express tense or form. Instead, think of them as nouns (although they’re not, so be careful).

This is because the way you modify its value is the same as how you would with nouns. What you want to do instead is to change the auxiliary verb of the whole sentence or phrase：です、ではありません、 でした or ではありませんでした.

The way you can identify a な-adjective is by looking at the particle attached to it: な. For example, 元気な人 (genki na hito), which means a healthy (or happy, depending on the context) person. A lot of people find な-adjectives to be easier to learn because of their simple (and easy modification) rule.

Like い-adjectives, you can put a な-adjective before a noun. When you do so, the adjective-noun combination becomes the subject.

You can also put a な-adjective at the end of a sentence. When that happens, the form is like this:

Form	Structure	Meaning
Present Affirmative	Adjective + な + Noun + です	is ~
Present Negative	Adjective + な + Noun + ではありません	is not ~
Past Affirmative	Adjective + な + Noun + でした	was ~
Past Negative	Adjective + な + Noun + ではありませんでした	was not ~

In this case, we’ll be using the example 元気, which means happy or healthy. Briefly, this is how you will transform a な-adjective into different tenses and forms.

Present Tense for Na-adjectives

The most basic form of な-adjectives — meaning, positive value in the present tense — is followed by the auxiliary verb of です (polite) or だ (casual). Keep in mind that, similar to い-adjectives, the present and future tense use the same form. To describe a noun, you need to put the particle な in the middle of the adjective and the noun (hence, it’s called na-adjective). Take a look at the example below.

Form	Kanji	Hiragana	Meaning
Positive (Present)	元気だ	げんきだ	Healthy; lively
Negative (Present)	元気じゃない	げんきじゃない	Not healthy; lively
Positive (Past)	元気だった	げんきだった	Was healthy; lively
Negative (Present)	元気じゃなかった	げんきじゃなかった	Was not healthy; lively

好きな人は田中さんだ。
Suki na hito wa Tanaka-san da.
The person I like is Tanaka-san.

As we mentioned before, the conjugation rules for な-adjectives are the same as nouns, so even when the adjective is put at the end of the sentence, you will still use だ.

田中さんが好きだ。
Tanaka-san ga suki da.
I like Tanaka-san.

Negative (Present) Tense for Na-adjectives

Similarly, to conjugate the auxiliary verb to get to the negative form for な-adjective, add 〜じゃありません. You can also use 〜ではありません, which has the same meaning (negative value), but sounds more polite and is usually used in written Japanese.

To make it casual, you can shorten it into 〜じゃない or 〜ではない.

あのウェイターはお客さんに親切ではない。
Ano weitaa wa okyakusama ni shinsetsu dehanai.
That waiter is not kind to guests.

あまり歌っていなくて、カラオケが上手じゃない。
Amari utte inakute, karaoke ga jouzu janai.
Because I don’t sing so much, I’m not good at karaoke.

You can also put a negative な-adjective before a noun.

Past Tense for Na-adjectives

To indicate that something was true before (and is not now), you will need to add だった (casual) or でした (polite) at the end of the sentence or phrase with a な-adjective.

子供の頃、お風呂が嫌いだった。
Kodomo no koro, ofuro ga kirai datta.
When I was a kid, I hated taking a bath.

Negative (Past) Tense for Na-adjectives

As with previous Japanese adjective modification, to make a na-adjective negative and in the past tense, simple add じゃありませんでした or ではありませんでした。

You can make it more casual by just transforming the auxiliary verb.

Style	Form	Structure	Example (きれい)
Polite	Standard	Adjective + ではありませんでした	きれいではありませんでした
Polite	Casual alt.	Adjective + じゃありませんでした	きれいじゃありませんでした
Casual	Plain	Adjective + ではなかった	きれいではなかった
Casual	Common	Adjective + じゃなかった	きれいじゃなかった

この街は静かじゃなかった。
Kono machi wa shizuka janakatta.
This town wasn’t peaceful (before).

リノベーションの前に、ホテルはきれいではありませんでした。
Rinobeeshon no mae ni, hoteru wa kirei dewa arimasen deshita.
Before the renovation, the hotel wasn’t pretty.

Casual Form for Na-adjectives

We’ve touched up how to change polite forms to casual forms for な-adjective, but we’ve made a table to sum it all up.

Form	Casual Form	Polite Form
Positive (Present)	元気だ	元気です
Negative (Present)	元気じゃない	元気じゃありません
Positive (Past)	元気だった	元気でした
Negative (Present)	元気じゃなかった	元気じゃありませんでした

Exceptions and What You Need to Know for Na-adjectives

You can immediately modify な-adjectives into a negative value, past tense, or both, and join it with a noun. However, keep in mind that this is only applicable if you use casual auxiliary verbs.

Here are a few examples:

元気じゃない人
Genki ja nai hito. (Correct)

元気じゃありません人
Genki ja arimasen hito. (Wrong)

元気だった人
Genki datta hito. (Correct)

元気でした人
Genki deshita hito. (Wrong)

Another thing to keep in mind is an exception: the Japanese adjective 同じ (onaji), which means “the same”. Even though it is technically a な-adjective, you will have to remove the な when you combine it with a noun.

君は僕と同じな背の高さです。(Wrong)
Kimi wa boku to onaji na se no takasa desu.
You are as tall as I am.

君は僕と同じ背の高さです。(Correct)
Kimi wa boku to onaji na se no takasa desu.

Learning to use and modify Japanese adjectives can be tricky, especially with the exceptions and grammar rules to remember. However, mastering the distinction between い-adjectives and な-adjectives will help you add more color and detail to your sentences.

Once you’ve learned some Japanese adjectives, we recommend practicing them with immersive Japanese listening conversations. Our Japanese podcasts are a great way to do this. Additionally, the NHK World Japan Audio Shows offer excellent listening practice for learners at any level.

Turning Adjectives into Adverbs in Japanese

In Japanese, adjectives can turn into adverbs and are actually commonly used as adjectives. Conjugating adjectives into adverbs differs depending on whether it is an い-adjective or な-adjective. Let’s take a look at some examples to dive into how it works.

1. Using い-adjectives as Adverbs

To use い-adjectives as adverbs, you must conjugate い into く. For example, to use the adjective 早い (hayai), or quick, as an adverb, you conjugate it into 早く (hayaku) and place it before a verb. Here’s how it works:

早い (hayai) → 早く(hayaku)

Example:

もうすぐ会議があるので、早く食べないといけないです。

Sugu kaigi ga arunode, haraku tabenai to ikenai desu.

Because I have a meeting soon, I have to eat quickly.

2. Using な-adjectives as Adverbs

To use な-adjectives as adverbs, you don’t have to conjugate the word at all, and in many cases, you can just add the word right before the verb. For example, you can say たくさんを食べた (takusan tabeta) to say “I ate a lot.” 

But in many other cases, you would need to attach the particle に to the adjective. For example, if you want to say “please go home safely,” you would say 安全にかえってください (anzen ni kaete kudasai), meaning please go home safely. 

Using Adjectives as Nouns in Japanese

You can also use adjectives as nouns in Japanese, and it’s quite common; we do it quite often in English, like when we say “many will be there” or “few have visited.” In Japanese, using adjectives in this way might be even more flexible. So, let’s see how it works between い and な adjectives.

1. Using い-adjectives as a Noun

To use an い-adjective as a noun, you just need to conjugate the い into く, just like you would for adverbs. Then, the word can operate just like a noun and can be used as the subject or object of the sentence. 

Example 1:

近い (chikai) → 近く(chikaku)

近くが見える

Chikaku ga mieru

I can see the close one.

Example 2

遅い (osoi) → 遅く(osoku)

いつも遅くのはジョンです。

Itsumo osokuno wa jon desu.

The one who is always late is John.

2. Using な-adjectives as a Noun

Using a な-adjective as a noun is quite simple and doesn’t need any conjugation. You would just simply need to attach the correct particle to have the adjective operate like a noun. 

Example:

たくさんがパーティーに来ました。

Takusan ga paatii ni kimashita.

Many came to the party. 

Conclusion: Adjectives are the Building Blocks of Japanese

Adjectives are what allow us to describe different things when we make sentences in Japanese. Whether you need to specify that something is blue, green, quiet, or loud, or if a person is sweet, strict, nice, or friendly, you need to use adjectives. In Japanese, they can be used very flexibly, even as adverbs or adjectives. 

So, try to remember as many adjectives as you can to add to your Japanese arsenal to describe the world around you or give details when explaining an experience!

Learning Japanese? Let’s Make It Easy

Studying Japanese doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Whether you’re starting out or advancing, with the right class, becoming confident in speaking is easier than you think.

Master Japanese in weeks with Coto Academy! Learn to speak Japanese with our intensive, part-time or online Japanese courses and reach your goals faster!

FAQ

What’s the difference between い-adjectives and な-adjectives?

い-adjectives directly modify nouns and change form based on tense, while な-adjectives require the particle な before a noun and use auxiliary verbs to change tense.

Can I use い-adjectives and な-adjectives interchangeably?

No, they follow different grammatical rules. Make sure to use them appropriately based on the sentence structure.

What are the exceptions to na-adjectives?

While most な-adjectives follow a consistent rule, there are a few notable exceptions to keep in mind:

• きれい (kirei) – Meaning “pretty” or “clean,” this adjective ends with い but is still considered a な-adjective. It requires the particle な when used before a noun (e.g., きれいな花 – a pretty flower.
• きらい(kirai) – Meaning “hate” or “dislike,” this adjective also ends in い but functions as a な-adjective. It uses the な particle when modifying a noun (e.g., きらいな食べ物 – a disliked foods.
• おなじ (onaji) – Meaning “same,” this adjective is usually a な-adjective, but when modifying a noun, the な particle is often omitted (e.g., 君は僕とおなじ背の高さです – You are the same height as me.
• だめ (dame) – Meaning “no good” or “unacceptable,” this adjective doesn’t require な when used before a noun in many cases (e.g., だめなこと – “a bad thing”).

Downloading and using Anki decks can be one of the most effective and easiest ways to learn Japanese. Anki is a free, open-source flashcard program that uses a spaced repetition system (SRS), allowing you to revisit new vocabulary repeatedly but in a programmed time frame. Through this, you can spend more time on words you have a harder time remembering and less on easier ones.

Though Anki is extremely versatile, we strongly recommend Anki to learn new Japanese words and building vocabulary over time. Still, when you are just starting out, you should use pre-made Anki decks. Once you know your learning preference, you can then customize it. Anki decks can easily be downloaded from the Anki website.

So, what are the best options? Check out our recommendations for the 15 best Japanese Anki decks below!

What is Anki?

Anki is a flashcard app that uses spaced repetition, a learning technique that shows you cards at increasing intervals based on how well you remember them. It’s used by a wide range of people, from med students to language learners. Basically, it is used by anyone who needs to memorize a large amount of information over time.

An Anki deck is essentially a set of flashcards grouped together. You can have multiple decks for different topics (e.g., “JLPT N5 Vocabulary”, “Medical Terminology”, “GRE Prep”). Each card typically has a front (question, prompt) and a back (answer). You can also include audio, images, and formatting.

How to choose the right Anki deck?

When learning Japanese with Anki, the front of the card is often the Japanese word, and the back shows the English meaning. As you become more familiar with Anki, you can start customizing your cards to suit your learning style. You can add audio, pictures, tags, custom fields, or other types of media to make your flashcards more engaging and effective!

With there being hundreds of Japanese Anki decks for learning, choosing the right one can be difficult and confusing. This is especially so for first-time users of Anki who are still figuring out how to use the software. It’s not hard when you get used to it, but we don’t want to add more to your full bowl.

On the Anki website, there is a section under ” Popular categories: Languages ” where you can see links to landing pages for different languages.

Click on the “Japanese” link, and it will bring you to a page full of different Japanese Anki decks. If you already have a topic in mind that you want to study, there is a manual search option in the top right corner.

If you have a problem choosing, click on each Anki deck and look at the reviews. A rating column also shows the ratings of the different tabs.

Once you have chosen the Anki Deck you want to use, simply click the “download” button to open Anki on your device.

Before that, head to our Japanese learner’s guide to starting Anki flashcards.

Best Japanese Anki Decks

1. Japanese Core 2000 Step 01 Listening Sentence Vocab + Images

Japanese Core 2000 Step 01 is one of the most popular and used Anki decks to memorize Japanese vocabulary. Specifically customized for beginners to Japanese, this Anki Deck has over 2,000 Japanese words for you to learn.

The contents in this Anki deck are well-structured, with images provided for easier memorization. The deck contains 405 audio files and 235 images, and example sentences for the Kanji.

It would probably take 2-3 months to complete this Anki deck if you practice consistently. As we know, consistency is the number one thing for improvement.

Visit the Anki website to download the Anki Deck onto your computer. The flashcards will appear on your screen once the deck is imported to your device. You can edit the cards by clicking on the “edit” button.

Download Anki deck here.

2. Japanese Core 2000 Step 02 Listening Sentence Vocab + Images

Japanese Core 2000 Step 02 is the second part of the Japanese Core 2000 Anki series. Make sure you start with Step 01 before you visit Step 02. Still, for beginners, this Anki Deck is a more advanced version with audio files, English translations, and images provided in the flashcards.

There are Japanese Kanji, verbs, and example sentences that are used in everyday life. This Anki Deck has over 404 Audio files and 236 Images.

Similar to Step 01, it would probably take you 2-3 months to complete this Anki Deck if you practice consistently.

Visit the Anki website to download the Anki deck onto your computer. The flashcards will appear on your screen once the deck is imported to your device. You can edit the cards by clicking on the “edit” button.

Get Anki decks here.

3. Japanese Basic Hiragana

If you have already learned the basic Japanese writing system, you can skip this. But if you are just a beginner, we recommend Japanese Basic Hiragana. Unlike the Japanese Core Series Anki Deck, this Anki deck does not have any pictures, but it is particularly helpful if you want to remember hiragana characters.

The deck was modified from the TextFugu Hiragana deck and only includes 46 basic audio hiragana character files.

However, you can type in romaji under particular hiragana characters. You can easily complete it as the contents are basic and simple for beginners. Since there are only 46 notes, the deck is a good refresher for new learners.

Since it only covers fundamentals, it does not have all the hiragana characters. So, you might want to move on to more advanced Japanese Anki Decks once you have completed the Deck.

Download Anki deck here

4. JLPT Grammar from Jtest4you

This is the all-in-one Anki deck if you want to focus on grammar. The Jtest4you Anki Deck is a JLPT grammar-focused flashcard. It includes example sentences, romaji, and translations that can be added to the front and back of the flashcards.

What’s good about this Anki deck is that the vocabulary is divided into different JLPT levels, so you can study words relevant to your current situation.

In most flashcards, the front would be the kanji and example sentence in Japanese, while the back of the flashcard would be the furigana, romaji, and English translation.

Visit the Anki website to download the Anki deck onto your computer. The flashcards will appear on your screen once the deck is imported to your device. You can edit the cards by clicking on the “edit” button.

Download Anki deck.

5. Japanese Visual Novel, Anime, Manga, LN Vocab – V2K 

If you are interested in Japanese visual media, Japanese Visual Novel, Anime, Manga, LN Vocab – V2K Anki Deck could be perfect for you.

This Anki Deck has over 2,000 common words in popular Japanese media, such as novels, anime, and manga. In Japanese media, words and phrases often serve various contexts and examples.

Hence, this Anki deck helps users link the particular kanji and familiar English translations.

It is a beginner-focused Anki deck where users will learn kanji and furigana, along with a pre-recorded audio that can be found at the front of the flashcard.

You will be able to pick up heaps of useful words, such as 全然駄目だ、結構, that are frequently mentioned in anime and manga. It will also significantly improve your reading and listening comprehension.

Visit the Anki website to download the Anki deck onto your computer. Once the deck is imported to your device, the flashcards will appear on your screen. You can edit the cards by clicking on the “edit” button.

Download Anki deck here.

6. Katakana Reading Practice

Katakana Reading Practice is an Anki deck that acts as a guide for beginners in learning katakana. With over 1,000 words and phrases in Katakana, the contents of the flashcard focus a lot on foreign loanwords, proper names, onomatopoeia, animal names, as well as brand names.

Many users of this Anki deck have found it very helpful in improving their speed and confidence in speaking and writing katakana.

English speakers might think it’s unnecessary to learn katakana. After all, they are loan words from English — but you’d be surprised by some Japanese katakana words that don’t sound similar to the original English words.

Visit the Anki website to download the Anki deck onto your computer. Once the deck is imported to your device, the flashcards will appear on your screen. You can edit the cards by clicking on the “edit” button.

Download Anki deck here.

7. Official KanjiDamage deck

KanjiDamage is the ultimate deck to learn Kanji with the KanjiDamage method, which is basically learning Kanji using mnemonics. There are over 1,700 Kanji to learn from in this Anki Deck.

You will learn a mix of commonly used Kanji as well as uncommonly used Kanji that have been put in random order. The stroke order of how to write the Kanji is also included.

If you want to learn kanji frequency instead, check out another Anki Deck made by the same user, which is a reordered version of this Anki deck. It has been reordered based on the frequency of each Kanji character so that you can more common characters first, followed by the uncommon ones.

Visit the Anki website to download the Anki Deck onto your computer. Once the deck is imported to your device, the flashcards will appear on your screen. You can edit the cards by clicking on the “edit” button.

Download Anki deck here.

8. All-in-One Kanji Deck

Looking to learn pretty much everything there is to learn about Kanji? All in One Kanji deck is one of the most comprehensive and informative collections out there. It is perfect for those looking to practice writing the Kanji and gaining more knowledge on kanji meaning and readings.

The Anki deck is nicely formatted. With over 10,000 flashcards, you will learn how to read each kanji in onyomi, kunyomi, and nanori as well as learn the number of strokes and stroke orders.

It also teaches you how each Kanji has been changed from its original Chinese elements to become a Japanese character.

Download Anki deck here.

9. Tofugu: Learn Hiragana Deck

This Anki deck, created by Tofugu, helps you learn Hiragana through Mnemonics. In this Anki Deck, you will be able to learn the basics of Japanese pronunciation.

Download Anki deck here.

10. Tofugu: Learn Katakana Deck

This Anki deck, created by Tofugu, helps you learn Katakana through Mnemonics. In this Anki Deck, you will be able to learn the basics of Japanese pronunciation.

Through descriptive and animative mnemonics, they make learning fun and interactive, and are a perfect method for memorization! Visit the Anki website to download the Anki Deck onto your computer. Once the deck is imported to your device, the flashcards will appear on your screen. You can edit the cards by clicking on the “edit” button.

Download Anki deck here.

11. Japanese Course Based on Tae Kim’s Grammar Guide & Anime

This is a self-contained Japanese course for beginners, built around Tae Kim’s Grammar Guide, a popular free resource known for its clear explanations of essential grammar points. The creators also developed a companion Anki deck, making it easy to study and review.

The course places a strong focus on listening comprehension, using real anime scenes to reinforce learning. Each flashcard shows a Japanese phrase on the front, along with a video clip of the sentence used in an anime. The back of the card includes the English translation and a detailed grammar breakdown, helping learners understand both meaning and structure.

Download Anki deck here.

12. Genki 1 & 2 Kanji

If you’ve taken a Japanese class, chances are you’ve used the well-known Genki textbook series. This Anki deck is a simple but effective tool I created to help me learn how to write the kanji introduced in Genki I and Genki II.

The deck covers individual kanji characters from Lesson 3 to Lesson 23, following the exact order presented in the textbooks. Each flashcard shows the English meaning, along with the on-yomi and kun-yomi readings on the front, and the kanji character on the back.

It’s perfect for reinforcing writing practice and memorizing readings in context with the Genki curriculum.

Download Anki deck here.

13. Katakana Reading Practice

Reading katakana can be surprisingly challenging, even if you’ve already memorized the characters. Unlike hiragana, katakana is often used for foreign loanwords and names, which don’t always follow typical Japanese word structure. 

This Anki deck features 1,000 cards designed to help you read katakana with speed and confidence. It focuses on loanwords from English, German, French, Portuguese, Chinese, and more, along with wasei-eigo (English-inspired words made in Japan like salaryman). You’ll also find cards with onomatopoeia, company names, animal names, and other real-world katakana usage to give you the exposure you need.

Download Anki deck here.

14. Remembering the Kanji 1, 6th Edition (2200 Kanji)

This Anki deck includes all 2,200 kanji from the 6th edition of Remembering the Kanji 1 by James W. Heisig. It was created to offer a complete and accurate companion to the book, as many existing shared decks were either incomplete, based on older editions, or lacked consistency in format and content.

The deck focuses solely on kanji characters, excluding primitive elements that are not kanji themselves. Each card includes a link to an external website for stroke order diagrams, allowing for easy reference and writing practice. It’s an ideal tool for learners following the Heisig method who want a streamlined, comprehensive study aid.

Download Anki deck here.

15. All in One Kanji Deck

This comprehensive Anki deck includes the full set of 2,136 Jouyou Kanji — the official list of kanji designated by the Japanese Ministry of Education for daily use. These are the characters taught in Japanese schools and used in newspapers, books, and official documents. In addition to the Jouyou Kanji, the deck covers JLPT N5 to N1 kanji, 861 Jinmeiyou Kanji (used primarily in names), the 2,500 most frequent kanji, 3,007 kanji from Heisig’s Remembering the Kanji, and more.

Download Anki deck here. 

16. Full Japanese Study Deck

The Full Japanese Study Deck consists of everything a Japanese learner would want, from JLPT-categorized vocabulary and kanji to additional words. The card is designed simply. You can go through the subdeck, which contains the vocabulary and kanji, one by one. (vocab and kanji) one by one.
It can be considered a “core deck” as well, as it contains common/essential words and kanji used in everyday Japanese (both in real life and in anime/manga). You can also find other subdecks, like the “ready-made mining material” subdecks, where all cards are suspended by default, and “reference material” subdecks for a quick search when you need to look up radicals, kana, and kanji.

Each card contains rich, detailed information: the English meaning, readings (onyomi, kunyomi, and nanori), stroke count, stroke order, and an example compound word. It also includes kanji classification levels such as JLPT level, Jouyou grade, and usage frequency.

Download the Anki deck here.

Should You Learn Japanese with Anki?

Yes, Anki is a great tool for memorizing vocabulary and kanji, but just like with learning any other language, it should not be your only resource! While you can embed audio recordings and reading passages into Anki to help with listening and reading, it is great for theory but not practice. For example, to learn how to speak, the best way is to actually practice speaking, either alone or with a partner.

If you are self-studying Japanese, Anki is definitely one of the best ways to build vocabulary over time, but don’t forget to mix it with other resources too!

Take Your Anki Learning to The Next Level!

Anki is incredibly powerful for building vocabulary and strengthening your memory. But just like any learning process, the best way to truly learn Japanese is through immersion. That means speaking with native speakers, practicing conversations out loud, writing actively in Japanese, and so much more.

These are experiences you simply can’t get from Anki alone. That’s where Coto Academy comes in.

Since 2000, Coto Academy has been helping students learn natural, real-life Japanese through conversation-focused lessons. With campuses in Tokyo and Yokohama, plus a thriving online school, Coto offers an immersive learning environment wherever you are. You won’t just learn kanji, grammar, and vocabulary. You’ll learn how to use them in real situations, right away.

Why join Coto Academy?

• School locations in Shibuya, Minato, Iidabashi, and Yokohama, plus a fully online Japanese language school, so that you can learn anywhere, anytime!
• Small classrooms with only up to 8 students for personalized support
• Professional native Japanese teachers, all trained to help you succeed
• Over 60 different Japanese classes across 18 levels, tailored to your needs

You can explore our courses and talk with our staff. No string attached. We just want to help you learn Japanese,

FAQ

What is Anki?

Anki is a powerful flashcard app that uses spaced repetition to help you memorize information more efficiently. For Japanese learners, it’s especially useful for retaining kanji, vocabulary, grammar points, and listening comprehension.

Can I customize the Japanese Anki deck?

Yes! Anki is very flexible—you can edit cards, add audio, images, mnemonics, or even create your own card types to match your study style.

What’s included in this Japanese Anki deck?

That depends on the deck, but typically you’ll find:

• Listening and reading practice (optional with media decks)
  Some decks are based on popular resources like Genki, Tae Kim, or Heisig, and include JLPT-level tagging (N5 to N1).
• Kanji cards (with meanings, readings, stroke order, and examples)
• Vocabulary cards (with context sentences and audio)
• Grammar explanations

Ready to start learning Japanese with Anki, or by yourself? You might want to check out:

• Anki Add-ons You Need to Have

The question that perplexes all Japanese learners at the beginning: Why is ha (は) read as wa in Japanese, sounding exactly the same as わ? We all thought Japanese phonetics were pretty straightforward, but just when you think you’ve nailed the hiragana and katakana writing systems, you come across this conundrum. 

Of course, once you’re used to reading, writing, and speaking Japanese, this problem is less of a real concern and more of an annoying tick. It doesn’t matter. It is what it is. No one really knows the answer, right? The same thing goes for ​へ (he), which is sometimes pronounced as ‘e’, and を (wo), which is always pronounced as ‘o’.  

But exploring the cultural significance and history of Japan can help you better understand the language. And if you’re left exasperated by the cookie-cutter answer, we’re here to give you a deep dive into the complex world of the Japanese language and linguistic evolution.

The Short Answer to Why We Pronounce Ha (は) as Wa (わ)

In grammar, は marks the topic of a sentence and is pronounced “wa” instead of “ha.” This is a special rule from classical Japanese that stuck — even though it’s written は, it’s spoken as “wa” when used as a particle.

Let’s take a look at three examples first, containing both the Japanese letters は and わ. 

おはようございます。
Ohayou gozaimasu. 
Good morning.

今日はいい天気ですね。
Kyou wa ii tenki desu ne. 
The weather is good today.

私の名前はコトです。
Watashi no namae wa Coto desu.
My name is Coto.

You may have pronounced the は and わ differently, or even interchangeably. You reflectively say kyou wa instead of kyou ha. Ohayou instead of owayou. And that’s great. That means you already know the proper Japanese phonetics. 

So did the sounds of these particles change since the spelling was set down? Or were the spellings intentionally chosen for some reason? Are there any other irregular kana spellings omitted?

The short answer is simple, really: if the は is used as a Japanese particle, it is pronounced as ‘wa’.  The particle は is the topic particle that identifies the topic of your sentence. 

If it’s used to build a Japanese word, as adjectives, adverbs, nouns, or even names, it goes back to its original pronunciation: ha. 

This is why the word おはようございます, which contains は, retains the typical ‘ha’ pronunciation. In the second and third sentences, は is the particle to help make the subject stand out: My name is Coto. Today is good weather.

The same thing for the character へ. Used in words, it is pronounced: “he”. When it’s a particle, it is pronounced: “e.” 

The Evolution of Japanese Language Phonetics: Wa and Ha

The particle は is still pronounced “wa” because it’s a historical spelling rule that dates back to classical Japanese. Over time, the pronunciation of Japanese sounds evolved, but a few traditional particles kept their old spellings. While most words were updated to match modern pronunciation, particles like は (wa), へ (e), and を (o) kept their original written forms for grammatical consistency — a linguistic “fossil” from Japan’s past.

If you’re still unsatisfied with that answer, we get it. Why is the は  particle specifically an exception? How did the sound and rule evolve into what they are in the present day? That short explanation might have just opened more doors to even more questions. 

The truth is, discrepancies between spelling and pronunciation are common, no matter the language. You’ll probably notice it in English more than in Japanese. Take the word tongue or island, for example. The Japanese language is no different, although the fact that the current Japanese spelling is almost completely phonemic makes anomalies like this stand out more. 

Only a handful of traditional spelling quirks remained, and using は for the particle that is pronounced wa is one of them.

In fact, this is what you need to know: just like society in general, language is ever-changing, and the sounds made by characters will shift over time. 

In the early history of Japanese (before 800 BC), the modern は  row of consonants, comprised of は, ひ, ふ, へ, ほ, were pronounced with ‘P’ as pa, pi, pu, pe, po. 

Enter the Nara Period (710 to 794). The ‘P’ sound underwent another change, shifting to a softer F sound: fa, fi, fu, fe, fo. This pronunciation stayed until the 16th century, judging from the transcripts made by the Portuguese of Japanese words that use the letter F where we would use H today.

For example, take the Japanese word for “mom”: 母. Today, it’s spelled as はは and pronounced as haha. In the old Japanese, the word is pronounced as fafa. 

After the Nara Period came the Heian Period (794 to 1185), where we see another shift: the F sound changed to W, but with a catch: the sound altered only when there was another vowel and when it was not at the beginning of the word.

The pronounciation changed from:

は    ひ    ふ    へ    ほ 
ha hi hu he ho

to:

は    ひ    ふ    へ    ほ 
ha hi hu he ho

This led to a verb such as 買う (買フor kafu in old Japanese) to be read as Kau (stemmed from kawu). The negative form of this verb underwent the same changes: instead of kapanai, it became kawanai.  

母 turns into fawa. The word for river, once pronounced as kafa, became the modern-day kawa. 

This marked the beginning of the transition where は is pronounced as わ. The particle は, which regularly appears after a vowel, was soon normalized as wa.

Eventually, in the Edo Period (1603 to 1867), people from various regions of Japan start to gather in Edo (the old Tokyo), This resulted in various dialects mixing and diluting. Eventually, the ‘F’ sound changed again to the H sound. 

Now, the 母 finally settled to its modern pronunciation that we know today: haha, spelled as はは. However, at that time, despite the new pronunciation, the words still used the old kana that represented the old pronunciation. 

This was the main linguistic problem. Up to World War 2, although the changes from the initial P sound to W sound were then widely accepted, the people still used historical usage. 

This meant 買う was still written 買フ (kafu) and 買わない was written as 買ハナイ (kahanai). Of course, the lack of standardized writing meant there was still a lot of confusing spelling. 

The Japanese Language Reform Changes Writing and Spelling

After World War 2, the Japanese government did a massive language reform to its writing and spelling rules to make things more even across the country. Remember the part where we said a lot of people from regional Japan were gathering in one capital? That was a huge wake-up call. So they decided to clean up the spelling and pronunciation of syllables. The official spelling of words needed to match the new pronunciation rules so that people wouldn’t think the word was supposed to be pronounced a different way. All ‘ha/は’ letters read as “wa” sounds were replaced with wa/わ. 川(かは) now was written as 川 (かわ). The kana へ, which was once pronounced e (now it’s he).

So Why Does The Particle Wa (は) Stick With The Old Spelling? 

The problem with change is that it’s usually easier said than done. Imagine this: close to a hundred million people in a country are following one unsaid linguistic rule. You can change the texts, rules, and writing across all books and paper, which in itself is already a mammoth task,  but you can’t change a society’s collective habit instantly. 

Now Japan has all these written texts where the wa ワ is written with the old Japanese rule: wa は kana. At the same time, the other は kana was now pronounced ha (ハ). 

And how do you make the entire nation write the wa は particle as wa わ? 

Simply put, it was too much trouble for Japan to try and make this change work — revamping the entire text, scripts, and literature for two particles was not worth it. The particles were excepted because many felt that changing these exceedingly common spellings would confuse people.

There you have it: up until today, we are saying the は particle according to the modern-day Japanese pronunciation, but the reason why it’s still spelled as ‘ha’ は and not わ is because we are still sticking to its traditional spelling. 

Modern pronunciation. Traditional spelling. Remember that.

Let’s Get Straight to The Point: Why Ha (は) Is Read as ‘Wa’

To sum up, は is pronounced as わ because the transcript reflects a pronunciation that did not change during the language reform. The sound わ  used to be written は in old kana usage in some cases. Old kana usage was much more irregular than it is nowadays. 

At that time, it was decided that for the particles alone, the same letters that had been used should continue to be used even though they are different from the actual pronunciation. 

Other Japanese Particles: Why を Is Read as “O” and へ as “E”

It’s the same thing with the readings for the particles へ and を, too. The modern sound え used to be written as へ in some cases and お as を. Of course, pronunciation varies, and sometimes you can hear a clear difference between お and を, for instance. Still, in all words, besides the particles, the old pronunciation differences have disappeared as time has passed.

There is an exception to the “wa” rule besides the Japanese particle, though. When は is used as the last letter of the greeting phrase, it follows the sound of a ‘wa’ particle. 

こんにちは
Actual spelling: Konnichiha.
Pronunciation: Konnichiwa

こんばんは
Actual spelling: Konbanha
Pronunciation: Konbanwa. 

Original Kana	Pronunciation (Before Reform)	Modern Pronunciation	Modern Spelling	Example Word	Meaning
は (ha)	“wa” (in certain words)	wa	わ	かわ (川)	river
へ (he)	“e” (as a particle)	e (when a particle)	へ (unchanged)	学校へ行く	go to school
を (wo)	“o”	o	を (unchanged)	パンを食べる	eat bread

To Sum It Up

There you have it: the core reason behind this ‘problem’ is simply because Japan never bothered to fully fix the two particles they spelled “wrong”. Instead, they went the easy route and deemed it the official, right way to do it. Problem solved.

The good news is that you’ll only have to deal with these in hiragana. Katakana is almost exclusively for foreign words, so you’re not really going to see particles written in katakana. 

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FAQ

Why is the hiragana “は” pronounced “wa” in some sentences?

In Japanese, when “は” is used as a particle to mark the topic of a sentence, it is pronounced “wa.” This is a special grammatical rule, not a mistake or typo.

Why does Japanese use “は” instead of just writing “わ” for the particle?

It’s a result of historical spelling. Hundreds of years ago, Japanese pronunciation shifted over time, but the spelling for certain grammatical particles remained the same. The particle は was kept to preserve consistency in written grammar.

Why is "ha" used instead of "wa" in "Konnichiwa"?

In “こんにちは” (konnichiwa), the final character “は” is actually the topic particle, even though it looks like part of the word. The phrase is a shortened form of a longer greeting that originally ended in the particle は — so it’s pronounced “wa.”

Why do Japanese add “wa” at the end of sentences?

In casual or feminine speech, “wa” (わ, different from the particle は) can be added at the end of a sentence for emphasis or tone. It adds softness, emotion, or emphasis, often in a light or expressive way. Example: かわいいわ (kawaii wa) = “So cute!”