Recognise タ チ ツ テ ト in everyday words. Read the sentences aloud, then use the chart to connect each sign with its sound.

The idea

タ チ ツ テ ト are read ta, chi, tsu, te, to in Hepburn romanization. Their hiragana counterparts are た ち つ て と. Each full-size sign represents one mora; the chart pairs both scripts with the same readings.

Patterns to compare
KatakanaHiraganaReading (Hepburn)
タたta
チちchi
ツつtsu
テてte
トとto

Examples

  • テニスをします。I play tennis.
  • ツナのサンドイッチを食たべます。I eat a tuna sandwich.
  • ネクタイを買かいます。I buy a tie.
  • ノートに名前なまえを書かきます。I write my name in a notebook.
  • ハンカチを買かいます。I buy a handkerchief.
  • ヘルメットをかぶります。I put on a helmet.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

チ is chi and ツ is tsu in Hepburn, not ti and tu. Compare ツ with シ; their stroke directions differ.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the katakana counterpart of ち.

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    チ

    チ and ち represent the same sound, chi; the katakana form is チ.

  2. Fill the blank with one katakana character: ＿ナ (tsuna).

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    ツ

    ツ represents tsu and completes ツナ, read tsuna.

  3. Fill the blank with one katakana character: ＿ニス (tenisu).

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    テ

    テ represents te and completes テニス, read tenisu.

Use it today

Cover the chart, read two example sentences aloud and write the target kana from memory. Then check the forms and sounds against the chart.