Unit 1 - Section 4: Hiragana - ま行・や行・ら行・わ行
Hiragana - ま行・や行・ら行・わ行
In this lesson, we'll learn the remaining hiragana characters: ま (MA), や (YA), ら (RA), and わ (WA) rows. These complete the basic 46 hiragana characters!
ま行 (MA Row)
| Hiragana | Romaji | Pronunciation | Memory Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| ま | ma | Like "ma" in "mama" | Looks like a fish hook - "Ma"gic hook |
| み | mi | Like "me" in "meet" | Looks like number 21 - "Mi"nimum age |
| む | mu | Like "moo" (cow sound) | Looks like a cow's face saying "Mu" |
| め | me | Like "me" in "men" | Looks like a pretzel - "Me"lts in your mouth |
| も | mo | Like "mo" in "more" | Looks like a fish - "Mo"re fish |
や行 (YA Row)
Note: The YA row only has 3 characters (ya, yu, yo). There are no "yi" or "ye" sounds in modern Japanese.
| Hiragana | Romaji | Pronunciation | Memory Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| や | ya | Like "ya" in "yard" | Looks like someone kicking - "Ya!" |
| ゆ | yu | Like "you" | Looks like a fishhook with bait - "Yu" caught one! |
| よ | yo | Like "yo" in "yoga" | Looks like a key - "Yo" need this! |
ら行 (RA Row)
Important: The R sound in Japanese is between R and L in English. Touch your tongue lightly to the roof of your mouth, similar to the "t" sound in "butter."
| Hiragana | Romaji | Pronunciation | Memory Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| ら | ra | Between "ra" and "la" | Looks like someone running - "Ra"ce! |
| り | ri | Between "ree" and "lee" | Looks like a reed - "Ri"ver reed |
| る | ru | Between "roo" and "loo" | Looks like a loop-de-loop - "Ru"n around |
| れ | re | Like "re" in "red" | Looks like a mouth - "Re"peat after me |
| ろ | ro | Like "ro" in "row" | Looks like someone rowing - "Ro"w your boat |
わ行 (WA Row)
Note: The WA row only has 2 common characters in modern Japanese (wa and wo). The を is only used as a particle and pronounced "o".
| Hiragana | Romaji | Pronunciation | Memory Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| わ | wa | Like "wa" in "watch" | Looks like a wavy road - "Wa"vy path |
| を | wo (o) | Pronounced "o" | Only used as object particle - sounds like お |
| ん | n | Like "n" in "sing" | Looks like a hook - the o"N"ly single consonant |
Vocabulary Practice
Here are common words using these characters:
まま (mama)
mother (casual)
みみ (mimi)
ear
むし (mushi)
insect
め (me)
eye
もも (momo)
peach
やま (yama)
mountain
ゆき (yuki)
snow
よる (yoru)
night
らいねん (rainen)
next year
りんご (ringo)
apple
るす (rusu)
being away from home
れい (rei)
zero / example
ろく (roku)
six
わたし (watashi)
I / me
Practice Combinations
Try reading these words that combine what you've learned:
まち (machi)
town / city
みず (mizu)
water
むね (mune)
chest
やすい (yasui)
cheap / easy
ゆめ (yume)
dream
よむ (yomu)
to read
かわ (kawa)
river
さくら (sakura)
cherry blossom
あさごはん (asagohan)
breakfast
Congratulations!
You've completed all 46 basic hiragana characters!
You can now read and write basic Japanese words. Next, you'll learn:
- Katakana (for foreign words and emphasis)
- Dakuten (゛) and handakuten (゜) marks for voiced sounds
- Combination characters (きゃ, しゃ, ちゃ, etc.)
- Double consonants and long vowels
Study Tips
Master These Characters:
- Write each character 10 times to build muscle memory
- Practice the R-sound: It's not quite R or L - it's in between!
- Special characters: Remember ん (n) is the only standalone consonant
- Particle を: Only used as a particle, always pronounced "o"
- Daily practice: Try to read simple Japanese text every day
- Use flashcards: Mix all rows you've learned so far
Course Navigation
Study Tips
- Read each example carefully
- Practice pronunciation aloud
- Create your own sentences to reinforce memory
- Finish the section quiz