What are dakuten (だくてん)?
Dakuten are the two small marks ゛ that are added to certain kana.
だくてん
They change an unvoiced sound into a voiced sound.
They are often referred to as tenten (てんてん).
Example:
カ (ka) becomes ガ (ga) with the addition of dakuten.
Identify the katakana:
ガ
ga
Examples:
ガイド (gaido) = guide
ガレージ (gareeji) = garage
Identify the katakana:
ギ
gi
Examples:
ギター (gitaa) = guitar
ギフト (gifuto) = gift
Identify the katakana:
グ
gu
Examples:
グループ (guruupu) = group
グミ (gumi) = gummy (candy)
Identify the katakana:
ゲ
ge
Examples:
ゲーム (geemu) = game
ゲート (geeto) = gate
Identify the katakana:
ゴ
go
Examples:
ゴール (gooru) = goal
ゴルフ (gorufu) = golf
Identify the katakana:
ザ
za
Examples:
ザ・ビートルズ (za biitoruzu) = The Beatles
ザンビア (zanbia) = Zambia
Identify the katakana:
ジ
ji
Examples:
ジーンズ (jiinzu) = jeans
ジム (jimu) = gym
Identify the katakana:
ズ
zu
Examples:
ズボン (zubon) = pants
ズーム (zuumu) = zoom
Identify the katakana:
ゼ
ze
Examples:
ゼロ (zero) = zero
ゼリー (zerii) = gelatin dessert
Identify the katakana:
ゾ
zo
Examples:
ゾーン (zoon) = zone
ゾンビ (zonbi) = zombie
Identify the katakana:
ダ
da
Examples:
ダンス (dansu) = dance
ダブル (daburu) = double
Identify the katakana:
ヂ
ji (rare)
Note: ヂ (ji) is very rare in modern Japanese.
In most cases, ジ (ji) is used instead.
Identify the katakana:
ヅ
zu (rare)
Note: ヅ (zu) is very rare in modern Japanese.
In most cases, ズ (zu) is used instead.
Identify the katakana:
デ
de
Examples:
データ (deeta) = data
デザイン (dezain) = design
Identify the katakana:
ド
do
Examples:
ドア (doa) = door
ドル (doru) = dollar
Identify the katakana:
バ
ba
Examples:
バス (basu) = bus
バナナ (banana) = banana
Identify the katakana:
ビ
bi
Examples:
ビデオ (bideo) = video
ビール (biiru) = beer
Identify the katakana:
ブ
bu
Examples:
ブラウザ (burauza) = (web) browser
ブログ (burogu) = blog
Identify the katakana:
ベ
be
Examples:
ベッド (beddo) = bed
ベルト (beruto) = belt
Identify the katakana:
ボ
bo
Examples:
ボール (booru) = ball
ボタン (botan) = button
What are handakuten (はんだくてん)?
Handakuten are the small circles ゜that are added to the h-row kana.
はんだくてん
They change the sound from “h” to “p”.
They are often referred to as maru (まる), “circles”.
Example:
ハ (ha) becomes パ (pa) with the addition of handakuten.
Identify the katakana:
パ
pa
Examples:
パーティー (paatii) = party
パン (pan) = bread
Identify the katakana:
ピ
pi
Examples:
ピザ (piza) = pizza
ピンク (pinku) = pink