As mentioned in the Hiragana lesson, Katakana is mainly used for foreign words such as names and words that have been borrowed from other languages such as コンピューター (kompyu-ta- = computer). The Japanese language does not have as many sounds as the English language so, when creating a name in Katakana for instance, the name must be sound out to the closest Japanese equivalent. Katakana , Hiragana , and Furigana (when Hiragana is written small next to a Kanji character to show how that character is read) are collectively known as Kana.
アa イi ウu エe オo
カka キki クku ケke コko
ガga ギgi グgu ゲge ゴgo
サsa シshi スsu セse ソso
ザza ジji ズzu ゼze ゾzo
タta チchi ツtsu テte トto
ダda ヂji ヅzu デde ドdo
ナna ニni ヌnu ネne ノno
ハha ヒhi フfu ヘhe ホho
バba ビbi ブbu ベbe ボbo
パpa ピpi プpu ペpe ポpo
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wo ンn/m
Combinations
キャkya キュkyu キョkyo
ギャgya ギュgyu ギョgyo
シャsha シュshu ショsho
ジャja ジュju ジョjo
チャcha チュchu チョcho
ニャnya ニュnyu ニョnyo
ヒャhya ヒュhyu ヒョhyo
ビャbya ビュbyu ビョbyo
ピャpya ピュpyu ピョpyo
ミャmya ミュmyu ミョmyo
リャrya リュryu リョryo
