第12課Lesson 12 of 16

Voiced sounds: D and B

t becomes d and h becomes b. The b row also spells most English v sounds, so television becomes テレビ. ヂ and ヅ sound like ジ and ズ and are very rare.

ダヂヅデドバビブベボ

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Pronunciation

How it sounds

d and b are voiced like g and z. An English d with no vowel after it usually becomes ド: card is カード, kādo. Most English v sounds are written with the b row too: television is テレビ.

Reading tips

Easy to mix up

  • ヂ and ヅ are rare enough that you can learn them last. ジ and ズ cover almost every word you will meet in katakana.

  • ハ and バ, ホ and ボ: read the top right corner every time. The two marks are the only difference.

New kana

Picture each shape, then say it.

ダda

タ with two dots: da.

ヂji

チ with two dots: ji, same sound as ジ and very rare.

ヅzu

ツ with two dots: zu, same sound as ズ and very rare.

デde

テ with two dots: de.

ドdo

ト with two dots: do.

バba

ハ with two dots: ba.

ビbi

ヒ with two dots: bi.

ブbu

フ with two dots: bu.

ベbe

ヘ with two dots: be.

ボbo

ホ with two dots: bo.

Real vocabulary

Words you can read now

  • ドアdoadoor
  • テレビterebitelevision
  • バナナbananabanana
  • ビールbīrubeer
  • デザートdezātodessert
  • ボールbōruball
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