When you start learning Japanese, you’ll quickly see that Hiragana and Katakana are really important. Here’s a simple guide to help you understand how they are different and when to use them:
Hiragana: This is mainly used for Japanese words and grammar. If you read a children's book or easy texts, you’ll find Hiragana all over the place!
Katakana: This is used for foreign words, names, and sounds. For instance, "コンピュータ" (konpyu-ta) means "computer" in Katakana. So, when you read about new technology or food, Katakana will be there.
You usually see Hiragana mixed with Kanji (the characters taken from Chinese). For example, in the word "たべる" (taberu - to eat), Hiragana shows the verb.
Katakana is sometimes used to show emphasis, a bit like how we use italics in English.
When you understand these differences, it makes learning basic Japanese words much easier and a lot more enjoyable!
When you start learning Japanese, you’ll quickly see that Hiragana and Katakana are really important. Here’s a simple guide to help you understand how they are different and when to use them:
Hiragana: This is mainly used for Japanese words and grammar. If you read a children's book or easy texts, you’ll find Hiragana all over the place!
Katakana: This is used for foreign words, names, and sounds. For instance, "コンピュータ" (konpyu-ta) means "computer" in Katakana. So, when you read about new technology or food, Katakana will be there.
You usually see Hiragana mixed with Kanji (the characters taken from Chinese). For example, in the word "たべる" (taberu - to eat), Hiragana shows the verb.
Katakana is sometimes used to show emphasis, a bit like how we use italics in English.
When you understand these differences, it makes learning basic Japanese words much easier and a lot more enjoyable!