Katakana chart: learn the 46 basic characters
After the 46 basic hiragana, katakana is the next reading step. The sounds are largely the same; the shapes are different and katakana appears especially often in loanwords, foreign names, sound-symbolic words and emphasis.
アaイiウuエeオoカkaキkiクkuケkeコkoサsaシshiスsuセseソsoタtaチchiツtsuテteトtoナnaニniヌnuネneノnoハhaヒhiフfuヘheホhoマmaミmiムmuメmeモmoヤyaユyuヨyoラraリriルruレreロroワwaヲo (wo)ンn
Where katakana appears
Common examples include コーヒー (coffee), カメラ (camera) and ホテル (hotel). Learn the long-vowel mark ー early because it appears constantly in loanwords.
Watch シ/ツ and ソ/ン
These pairs look similar. Do not memorise them as static pictures only: read and write them inside short words so the stroke direction and sound become linked.
Reading path: hiragana → katakana → kana sentences → kanji + furigana → increasingly natural reading from N5 to N1.
Quick check
Which katakana character is read shi?
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