こんばんは。

がんきですか？

I know it has been a while and you have my apologies. I am horrible.

あ = (a) ah    か = (ka)   が = (ga)   さ = (sa)    ざ = (za)   た = (ta)   だ = (da)
い = (i) ee    き = (ki)     ぎ = (gi)    し = (shi)    じ = (ji)   ち = (chi)  ぢ = (ji)
う = (u) ou    く = (ku)    ぐ = (gu)    す = (su)    ず = (zu)  つ = (tsu)  づ = (zu) (dzu or du)
え = (e) eh    け = (ke)   げ = (ge)   せ = (se)    ぜ = (ze)   て = (te)  で = (de)
お= (o) oh    こ = (ko)    ご = (go)   そ = (so)    ぞ = (zo)   と = (to)   ど = (do)

な = (na)     は = (ha)
に = (ni)     ひ = (hi)
ぬ = (nu)     ふ = (fu)
ね = (ne)     へ = (he)
の = (no)     ほ = (ho)

Now, for more dakuten!

Watch as I wave my magic wand and turn the 'h' kana into 'b' kana!
Voila!

ば = (ba)
び = (bi)
ぶ = (bu)
べ = (be)
ぼ = (bo)

Let's learn some vocabulary! I am trying my best to not repeat words, though I might fail. Please forgive me!

こんばんは = konbanwa = Good evening. Okay, I know. は = ha... BUT! when used as a particle, it is read 'wa'. こんばんは used to be part of a longer sentence, but that part was dropped over time. The は was a particle in that sentence and was kept.

あそぶ = (asobu) = to play
もつ = (motsu) = to have
まつ = (matsu) = to wait
たつ = (tatsu) =  to stand
いつも = (itsumo) = always
たぶん = (tabun) = probably
わかい = (wakai) = young
かたい = (katai) = hard
せいけつな = (seiketsunai) = clean (That was a long one!)

Have fun with these words and I will be back とても (totemo) soon!

おはよございます！ (good morning)

My apologies for being late with this lesson. I was actually doing some writing for once.
But, without further delay, the 'h' kana.

First, the review.

あ = (a) ah    か = (ka)   が = (ga)   さ = (sa)    ざ = (za)   た = (ta)   だ = (da)
い = (i) ee    き = (ki)     ぎ = (gi)    し = (shi)    じ = (ji)   ち = (chi)  ぢ = (ji)
う = (u) ou    く = (ku)    ぐ = (gu)    す = (su)    ず = (zu)  つ = (tsu)  づ = (zu) (dzu or du)
え = (e) eh    け = (ke)   げ = (ge)   せ = (se)    ぜ = (ze)   て = (te)  で = (de)
お= (o) oh    こ = (ko)    ご = (go)   そ = (so)    ぞ = (zo)   と = (to)   ど = (do)

And adding a second row, yay!

な = (na)
に = (ni)
ぬ = (nu)
ね = (ne)
の = (no)

Now, before moving on to the 'h' kana, I am going to post this. This has the remainder of the kana that we have not gone over, but pronunciation is VERY important in the Japanese language. Once you master the 'base' sounds, the vowels, the rest is easy. You can also easily see the pattern stays consistent throughout. And you can also hear what I mean when I say short sounds.

It's a very short video. Listen here.

Now, the 'h'.

は = (ha)

ひ = (hi, pronounced he)

ふ = (fu, though the 'f' is almost silent)

へ = (he, pronounced hea, like in heather)

ほ = (ho)

Pay attention to the は and the ほ. Notice the second line. 

As we learn more kana, more words open up to us! Some of them being my favororites.

はな = (hana) = flower

ながい = (nagai) = long

はし = (hashi) bridge, or chopsticks

はなす = (hanasu) = to say, to tell, to talk

はる = (haru) = spring

Okay, I have to get to work.

Happy studying!

こんにちは

How is everyone?

Today, we are going to learn the 'n' kana. But first, let's review.



あ = (a) ah      か = (ka)      が = (ga)      さ = (sa)      ざ = (za)      た = (ta)     だ = da
い = (i) ee       き = (ki)        ぎ = (gi)      し = (shi)      じ = (ji)      ち = (chi)    ぢ = ji
う = (u) ou       く = (ku)       ぐ = (gu)      す = (su)      ず = (zu)    つ = (tsu)    づ = zu (dzu or du)
え = (e) eh      け = (ke)      げ = (ge)      せ = (se)      ぜ = (ze)     て = (te)     で = de
お= (o) oh      こ = (ko)       ご = (go)      そ = (so)      ぞ = (zo)     と = (to)      ど = do




Thirty-five of them. :) Now, moving on, let's make it 40.




な = (na)
に = (ni)
ぬ = (nu)
ね = (ne)
の = (no)




Now, when learning these, I had the hardest time with ぬ and ね. I really don't know why. I hope you guys don't have the same problem.




Here are some words!


あなた = (anata) = you (polite)
なに = (nani) = what (can also be said as なん (nan)
さかな = (sakana) = fish
たのしい = (tanoshii) = fun, interestingながい = (nagai) = long
おか = (oka) = hill
に = (ni) = two
きのう = (kinou) = yesterday
その = (sono) = that (descriptive, such as 'that pen')
どの = (dono) = which

Have fun!

Lesson 7

こんにちは。

げんきですか？
がんきですよ。

A review, if you please?

あ = (a) ah     か = (ka)     が = (ga)     さ = (sa)     ざ = (za) た = (ta)
い = (i) ee      き = (ki)      ぎ = (gi)      し = (shi)     じ = (ji)     ち = (chi)
う = (u) ou       く = (ku)     ぐ = (gu)     す = (su)     ず = (zu)    つ = (tsu)
え = (e) eh      け = (ke)     げ = (ge)     せ = (se)     ぜ = (ze)   て = (te)
お= (o) oh       こ = (ko)     ご = (go)     そ = (so)     ぞ = (zo)     と = (to)

And now for more dakuten fun! we are going to turn the 't' into 'd'!

だ = (da)
ぢ = (ji) There are a few of these, though, in my studies, じ is far more common.
づ = (dzu or du) Again, in my studies, this is rare. This and the above are not found on basic charts.  
で = (de)
ど = (do)

This really is easy. If you are having troubles, I recommend making flashcards. You can learn five in a matter of minutes.

And now for some words:

です = (desu) = This is called a copula.. Not sure what that is, but ですmeans 'am, is, are'
どうぞ = (douzo) = Please, go ahead, by all means.
どこ = (doko) = Where
した = (shita) = Down
ちず = (chizu) = Map
たすけて = (tasukete) = HELP
どうした = (doushita) = What happened?
どうして = (doushite) = Why
いつ = (itsu) = When
ちいさい = (chiisai) = Small

Have fun with these and I will see you next time!

さよなら (sayonara)