Katakana Page 09

KATAKANA PART 9

Let's take a look at Ra, Ri, Ru, Re, Ro. The dreaded "r's" are probably the most challenging sounds for English speakers. Listen to the sound files over and over...


ラ - ra     - as in hoRAH!
 It looks like a monster going RAAA!


 リ- ri     - as in REal
It's almost a REpeat of a hiragana い (flipped around)


 ル - ru     - as in RUE
Someone is putting his or her foot out to trip someone. How RUde!


 レ - re     - as in RAY
It looks like a RAY of light.


 ロ - ro     - as in ROW
It's a tunnel on the ROad.

Write them out 10 times a day and soon you will get it.  To aid memorization, make silly associations to go with them. You can use the above mnemonics or you can make your own!

　

STOP!!!

Did you write the above katakana 10 times? Did you sound them out as well? Well, do it again! And then take the following test & Javascript quiz (see link below)...

TEST
How do you read these Katakana characters?  What English words do they sound out? (Some may be easier than others to guess)

アイスクリーム ____________    This means ____________
アメリカ ____________    This means ____________
 ローソク_____________   This means candle (not from English)
キレイ _____________    This means pretty in Japanese (you may know this one already)
テレビ_____________    This means ______________ [NOTE: If you have studied Hiragana, you are familiar with the tenten marks (looks like quotes over the ヒ). It changes the sound from hi to Bi - more on this later...]
ハロー _____________    This means ______________

Click here to check your answers

Perhaps you can recognize these 5 in just one day of practice.  

　

　

　

　

　

ANSWERS:

アイスクリーム    aisukuri-mu This means Ice Cream
アメリカ amerika This means America
ローソク  ro-soku This means Candle (ro-soku)
キレイ kirei  This means Pretty (kirei)
テレビ  terebi  This means TV
ハロー haro-  This means Hello

Think you have it all down pat?
Click here to take the Quiz

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