Reading Japanese katakana loanwords

The idea

Read each word as Japanese rather than copying the pronunciation of its source. Both ー marks in コーヒー lengthen the preceding vowel; パン ends in ン and ケーキ has a long first vowel. テレビ is a shortened Japanese form for television. Katakana also writes names and emphasis, so not every katakana word is an English loan.

Examples

• コーヒーを飲のみます。I drink coffee.
• パンを買かいます。I buy bread.
• バスで駅えきへ行いきます。I go to the station by bus.
• テレビを見みます。I watch television.
• ケーキを食たべます。I eat cake.
• スープを飲のみます。I drink soup.

Watch out

Katakana is a script, not a promise that a loanword sounds or means exactly like its source. Keep both long marks in コーヒー; a missing mark changes the timing.

Try it yourself

1. Complete コー＿ー (coffee) with one katakana character.

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   ヒ

   コーヒー means coffee; ヒ completes its spelling.

2. Complete パ＿ (bread) with one katakana character.

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   ン

   パン means bread; ン completes its spelling.

3. Fill the blank with one kana or mark: ケ＿キ (kēki).

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   ー

   Compare the written parts and reading: ケ + ー = kē；ケーキ = kēki.

4. Fill the blank with one kana or mark: ジュ＿ス (jūsu).

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   ー

   Compare the written parts and reading: ジュ + ー = jū；ジュース = jūsu.

Use it today

Cover the chart, read two examples aloud and write one target word from memory. Compare its spelling and timing with the original.