Hiragana w row and syllabic n: わ を ん

The idea

わ is wa, を is normally pronounced o as the object particle, and ん is a nasal mora whose sound changes with its surroundings. In an IME, type wo for を and nn for ん. In でんわ (denwa), ん and わ are separate beats. Some words are written in kana here for practice; everyday Japanese often writes them with kanji.

Examples

• わたしは学生がくせいです。I am a student.
• 水みずを飲のみます。I drink water.
• ほんを読よみます。I read a book.
• にほんに行いきます。I go to Japan.
• でんわをかけます。I make a phone call.
• 父ちちは先生せんせいです。My father is a teacher.

Watch out

The topic particle は is also pronounced wa, but it is not written わ. Likewise, the object particle sounds like お but is written を.

Try it yourself

1. Fill the blank with one Hiragana character: ＿たし (watashi).

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   わ

   わ represents wa; わたし is read watashi.

2. Fill in the object particle: みず＿飲のみます。

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   を

   を marks みず as the object. It sounds o here, although a common IME input is wo.

3. Fill the blank with one Hiragana character: ほ＿ (hon).

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   ん

   ん represents n; ほん is read hon.

4. Write denwa in Hiragana.

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   でんわ

   でんわ is read denwa: で = de; ん = n; わ = wa.

Use it today

Cover the table and read two example sentences aloud. Write one word from memory, then check each target kana against the table.