JAPANESE UNIT NOTES
Japanese does not conjugate for the subject pronouns as other languages do…it does have conjugations
to learn, but we will take this lesson to focus on what it is like to learn a new alphabet.
Japanese has 4 alphabets:
1. ROMAJI- English letters so that the world can phonetically read Japanese words
2. KANJI- adapted from the Chinese alphabet in which each word has its own character/picture
3. HIRAGANA – Comprised of letters that represent phonetic sounds, it is used to write certain
words and added to the KANJI words for grammar constructions such as conjugation
4. KATAKANA- phonetic alphabet used for foreign words (such as names)
Stuff to know:
KONNICHI WA
HELLO/GOOD DAY
DOMO
HELLO
SAYONARA
GOODBYE
Numbers:
Colors:
KURO
BLACK
AO
BLUE
CHAIRO
BROWN
HAIIRO
GREY
MIDORI
GREEN
DAIDAIIRO
ORANGE
MURASAKI
PURPLE
AKA
RED
SHIRO
WHITE
KIIRO
YELLOW
Japanese pronouns
(there are more pronouns, but I have only included the full list for “I”)
singular
plural
I - CHIN (emperor only- no
longer in use)
I - WATAKUSHI (very formal)
I - WATASHI (formal)
I - BOKU (masc.)
I - ATASHI (fem.)
WE - WATASHI-TACHI
1st person
2nd person
YOU - ANATA (formal)
3rd person
HE - KARE
SHE - KANOJO
THEY - KARERA
WORDS YOU WILL BE LEARNING TO SPELL IN HIRAGANA
1ST LIST
2ND LIST
3RD LIST
AI – LOVE
KAO – FACE
KASA - UMBRELLA
IU – TO SPEAK
IKA – SQUID
SAKE – RICE WINE
AU – TO MEET
EKI – STATION
USHI - COW
IE – HOUSE
KAKI – PERSIMMON
SHIO - SALT
UE – UP
KAKU – TO WRITE
SUSHI – SUSHI
OI – NEPHEW
AKUHEI – EVIL
ISU - CHAIR
AO – BLUE
IKE – POND
ASE - SWEAT
KAKE – TO BET
SEKI - COUGH
KOE – VOICE
USO - LIE
KAKO – PAST
SOKO – OVER THERE
4TH LIST
5TH LIST
6TH LIST
TAKE – BAMBOO
NATSU – SUMMER
HAHA - MOTHER
TAKO – OCTOPUS
ANATA – YOU
HANA - FLOWER
SACHI – HAPPINESS
NIKU – MEAT
HITO - PERSON
CHISA – SMALL
KANI – CRAB
HIKOI - LOW
KUCHI – MOUTH
INU – DOG
HUKU/FUKU - CLOTHES
TSUCHI – SOIL/DIRT
KINU – SILK
HUTA/FUTA - LID
KUTSU – SHOE
NEKO – CAT
HESO – BELLY-BUTTON
TE – HAND
OKANE – MONEY
HETA - UNSKILLED
KATEI – HOUSEHOLD
INOSHISHI – WILD BOAR
HONE - BONE
CHIKATESU – SUBWAY
ONO – AXE
HOSOI – SLENDER
ITO – FRIEND
TOKEI – CLOCK
7TH LIST
8TH LIST
KUMA – BEAR
YASUMI - VACATION
MACHI – TOWN NEIGHBORHOOD
HAYAI - FAST
MISO – BEAN PASTE
YUKI - SNOW
MISE – STORE
HUYU/FUYU - WINTER
MUSHI – INSECT/BUG
TSUYOI - STRONG
MUKASHI – A LONG TIME AGO
YOKAHAMA – A BIG CITY IN JAPAN
ME – EYE
MAME – BEANS
MOMO – PEACH
MONO – THING