Katakana Page 05

KATAKANA PART 5

Let's take a look at the N's. You may want to make flashcards to practice by. "Na Ni Nu Ne No" is fun. Sounds a bit like something Mork would say to Mindy... Also there are no unexpected sound forms here.

ナ - na - as in NOt
It looks like someone is NOdding off for a nap.

ニ- ni - as in NEAt
It's someone's KNEEs again! (ChiNEse Kanji for 2 (knees))

ヌ - nu - as in NEW
It's a brand-NEW scythe

ネ- ne - as in NEIGHbor
It looks like a cross-section of a NAval ship. Or an arm growing out of your NEIGHbor's NAvel

ノ- no - NO!
This looks like the curve of someone's NOse.

Write them out 10 times a day and soon you will get it. To aid memorization, make silly associations to go with them. You can use the above mnemonics or you can make your own!

STOP!!!

Did you write the above katakana 10 times? Did you sound them out as well? Well, do it again! And then take the following test & Javascript quiz (see link below)...

TEST

How do you read these Katakana characters? What English words do they sound out? (Some may be easier than others to guess)

ナビ ____________    This means ____________
ニット ____________    This means ____________
カヌー _____________   This means ____________
シチー _____________    This means ______________
ナース _____________    This means ______________
ソナー_____________    This means ______________

Click here to check your answers

Perhaps you can recognize these 5 in just one day of practice.

ANSWERS:

ナビ   nabi This means Navigator (usually someone who gives directions in the passenger seat or the Navigation systems found in newer cards)
ニット nitto This means to Knit, knitting
カヌー   kanu- This means Canoe
シチー  shichi-  This means City [Both syllables are not found in Japanese so SHI instead of SI and CHI instead of TI]
ナース  na-su  This means Nurse [Usually in Katakana English words the 'r' sound is implied by a ー but not spoken]
ソナー sona-  This means Sonar