Front

Click PLAY and choose the hiragana character that matches the sound.

Back

な

Answer explanation

な makes the sound like the 'na' on the end of 'banana'.

When we write な in rōmaji, we write it as 'na'.

The memory hint picture shows a nun praying in front of a cross. な makes the same sound as the beginning of the word 'nun'.

Front

Options: い, の, ん, に

Back

に

Answer explanation

に is the start sound in にほんご (nihongo = Japanese) and 'ninja'.

We write に as 'ni' in rōmaji.

Front

Options: ぬ, め, く, お

Back

ぬ

Answer explanation

ぬ makes the sound like the beginning of the word 'noodle'.

We write ぬ as 'nu' in rōmaji.

Memory hint: It helps to remember ぬ by thinking of a curly noodle.

Front

Options: ぬ, あ, り, ね

Back

ね

Answer explanation

ね makes the sound 'ne' like the beginning of the word 'never'.

We write ね as 'ne' in rōmaji.

Memory hint: "Never forgot to feed your cat."

Front

Choose the correct option: え, ろ, の, ひ

Back

の

Answer explanation

の makes the sound 'no' like the beginning of 'not'.

We write の as 'no' in rōmaji.

A memory hint for の is 'not allowed'.

Front

Options: ふ, ま, は, た

Back

は

Answer explanation

は makes the sound 'ha' like in when we say 'haha!'

We write は as 'ha' in rōmaji.

Memory hint: You can see the letters h + a in は.

Ha, ha, ha....!

は is a special character, because it also has an important job as a PARTICLE. When it is a particle, we say 'wa' (like a guitar 'wah wah' pedal) instead of 'ha'. You will learn more about this later!

Front

Options: び, う, へ, ひ

Back

ひ

Answer explanation

ひ makes the sound 'hi' like in the word 'hill'.

We write ひ as 'hi' in rōmaji.

Memory hint: imagine a lake between 2 hills.

Front

Options: ふ, へ, き, や

Back

ふ

Answer explanation

ふ makes the 'fu' sound in Mt Fuji. (There is no 'hu' sound in Japanese.)

We write ふ as 'fu' in rōmaji. It can be written a few different ways (see picture).

Memory hint: There is a little bit of cloud above Mt Fuji.

Front

Choose the correct particle: く, も, は, へ

Back

へ

Answer explanation

へ makes the sound 'he' like in 'head' or 'hen'.

We write へ as 'he' in rōmaji.

Memory hint: the word 'hen' means weird in Japanese - a weird, pointy head!

Front

Options: け, ま, わ, ほ

Back

ほ

Answer explanation

ほ makes the sound 'ho' like the beginning of 'hot'.

We write ほ as 'ho' in rōmaji.

Memory hint: When we turn ほ on it's side, it says 'ho' with a heat mat underneath, because it's HOT!