N5Chapter 02

Katakana & Basic Greetings

Learning Objectives

  • Read and write the 46 base Katakana characters.
  • Understand long vowel marks (ー) and voiced sounds in Katakana.
  • Learn standard daily greetings and polite phrases.
  • Identify common loanwords (Gairaigo) used in Japanese daily life.
N5 Context

Now that you’ve mastered Hiragana, it’s time to meet its angular sibling: Katakana. Katakana represents the same sounds but is used for foreign words, names, and emphasis. Along with this new script, we will learn the most essential Japanese greetings (Aisatsu), which are the building blocks of polite Japanese society.

1. The 46 Katakana Characters

Katakana characters are sharper and more geometric than Hiragana. They are often simplified versions of Kanji.

a (ア)i (イ)u (ウ)e (エ)o (オ)
Baseア
a		イ
i		ウ
u		エ
e		オ
o
Kカ
ka		キ
ki		ク
ku		ケ
ke		コ
ko
Sサ
sa		シ
shi		ス
su		セ
se		ソ
so
Tタ
ta		チ
chi		ツ
tsu		テ
te		ト
to
Nナ
na		ニ
ni		ヌ
nu		ネ
ne		ノ
no
Hハ
ha		ヒ
hi		フ
fu		ヘ
he		ホ
ho
Mマ
ma		ミ
mi		ム
mu		メ
me		モ
mo
Yヤ
ya		ユ
yu		ヨ
yo
Rラ
ra		リ
ri		ル
ru		レ
re		ロ
ro
W/Nワ
wa		ヲ
wo		ン
n

[!WARNING] Be careful with シ (shi) and ツ (tsu), and ソ (so) and ン (n). The direction of the strokes is key to telling them apart!

2. Voiced Marks & Long Vowels

Katakana uses the same Dakuten (゛) and Handakuten (゜) as Hiragana. Additionally, it uses a horizontal line (ー) called a chōonpu to indicate long vowel sounds.

Grammar Point
Katakana + ゛/ ゜ OR [Vowel] + ー
MeaningModifying sounds and extending vowels in Katakana.
Formation:
Character + Marks OR Character + ー
Examples (3)
Example

アメリカ (Amerika)

Amerika

America

Example

コーヒー (Kōhī)

Kouhii

Coffee (Note the long vowels)

Example

ベッド (Beddo)

Beddo

Bed (Note the small 'tsu' ッ for double consonant)
Example

パソコン を かいました。

Pasokon o kaimashita.

I bought a personal computer.

Pasokon (パソコン) is short for 'Personal Computer'.
Example

ホテル は どこ です か。

Hoteru wa doko desu ka.

Where is the hotel?
Example

タクシー で いきます。

Takushii de ikimasu.

I will go by taxi.

3. Essential Greetings (Aisatsu)

Greetings are the heart of Japanese communication. They are often set phrases that should be memorized as a whole.

Vocabulary5 terms

  • おはようございます

    Greeting

    ohayou gozaimasu

    Good morning (Polite)

  • こんにちは

    Greeting

    konnichiwa

    Good afternoon / Hello

  • こんばんは

    Greeting

    konbanwa

    Good evening

  • ありがとうございます

    Phrase

    arigatou gozaimasu

    Thank you very much

  • すみません

    Phrase

    sumimasen

    Excuse me / I'm sorry

Example

はじめまして。 アンナ です。

Hajimemashite. Anna desu.

Nice to meet you. I am Anna.
Example

よろしく おねがいします。

Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

Please treat me well / I look forward to working with you.
Example

さようなら。

Sayounara.

Goodbye.

4. Cultural Note: The Art of Bowing (Ojigi)

In Japan, greetings are almost always accompanied by a bow (ojigi). The depth and duration of the bow depend on the social situation:

  • Eshaku (15°): A casual greeting to friends or acquaintances.
  • Keirei (30°): The standard business bow, used for customers or superiors.
  • Saikeirei (45°): A deep bow used for formal apologies or showing profound respect. Remember: keep your back straight and your eyes downcast!

Practical Conversations

Arriving at a Hotel
Guest

こんにちは。 すみません。

Konnichiwa. Sumimasen.

Hello. Excuse me.

Staff

こんにちは！ いらっしゃいませ。

Konnichiwa! Irasshaimase.

Hello! Welcome.

Guest

わたし は スミス です。 はじめまして。

Watashi wa Sumisu desu. Hajimemashite.

I am Smith. Nice to meet you.

Staff

スミスさん です ね。 よろしく おねがいします。

Sumisu-san desu ne. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

Mr. Smith, right? Please treat me well.
At a Café
Customer

すみません！ コーヒー を ください。

Sumimasen! Kouhii o kudasai.

Excuse me! Coffee, please.

Waiter

はい、どうぞ。 ケーキ も いかが です か。

Hai, douzo. Keeki mo ikaga desu ka.

Yes, here you go. Would you like some cake too?

Customer

はい、ありがとうございます。 いただきます！

Hai, arigatou gozaimasu. Itadakimasu!

Yes, thank you very much. Let's eat!

Chapter Summary

Key Takeaways
  • 1Katakana is used for foreign names, loanwords, and emphasis.
  • 2Long vowels in Katakana are indicated by the straight line mark (ー).
  • 3Japanese greetings (Aisatsu) change based on the time of day and politeness level.
  • 4Bowing (Ojigi) is an essential non-verbal component of Japanese greetings.
  • 5Many modern Japanese words like 'Pasokon' or 'Sumaho' are shortened loanwords.

Knowledge Check

Test your knowledge of Katakana and Greetings!

Practice Quiz
🧩

Quiz

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Which script is used for the word 'Coffee' (コーヒー)?