Having trouble with katakana

7 comments

1. Expose yourself to more katakana. I find katakana to be more challenging to learn considering there are quite a few similar looking one’s but also the fact that you aren’t exposed to it as much as you would be with Hiragana or Kanji.

   I’ve been studying Japanese for five years and currently live in Japan, working in a complete Japanese environment and there are still sometimes I need to double check a katakana simply because I’m rarely exposed to them compared to Hiragana and Kanji.

2. Write hiragana above your katakana words in your notes. The muscle memory will help it stick.

3. Words in Katakana are deceptively easy because you can somewhat guess the English loan word but the trouble starts with some words like:

   クレーマー

   エステ

   デマ

4. Tofugu has some mnemonics and a workbook you could use: [https://www.tofugu.com/japanese/learn-katakana/](https://www.tofugu.com/japanese/learn-katakana/)

   Katakana is very difficult – it’s not just you.

5. katakana are really hard (and look bad …). i really have hard time with them. working in IT i see them quite often. also i can never make the difference between ツandシ, not saying that typing katana version of english word is a nightmare. is there a ツ or ー. like a meeting i can never type it. it look like it is ミーティング…

6. Try looking up the Japanese website for a chain restaurant you like. Maybe Starbucks or McDonald’s or whatever. Just for example. Anyway take a look at their menu (メニュー) and try reading it. Most of it will be katakana and you’ll have the photos of most items there to help you. Try making that sort of thing part of your katakana practice and you might find yourself remembering it more easily.

   I still have to think of how ルパン (from Lupin the Third) is written when I’m trying to remember which is ル and which is レ and I’ve been studying for 25 years! haha.

7. I use the app write Japanese.. This month I practice katakana every day and finally Im gettingsomewhere .
   good luck!!