English to Katakana: 7 Patterns for Katakana Flashcards
Seven patterns that turn English words into katakana, so you can sound out loanwords and work out the English, with audio for every example.
Sound out a katakana word and it can feel like a riddle. テキスト (tekisuto) turns out to be "text". Once you know the katakana with katakana flashcards, a handful of patterns will help you crack most English loanwords.
This guide covers seven of them, with audio for every example.
Why Do English Words Change in Katakana?
Japanese has a smaller set of sounds than English, and every syllable ends in a vowel or ン (n). So when Japanese borrows an English word, it reshapes it to fit.
The changes follow patterns. Learn them, and you can work out the English behind most loanwords, and guess the katakana for English words too.
What Are the Seven Patterns?
Here's the summary. Press play on each example, then read the details below.
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| Bare consonants get a vowel | テキスト (tekisuto, text) |
| r and l are both the ラ (ra) row | ホテル (hoteru, hotel) |
| -er, -or, -ar become a long a | コンピューター (konpyuutaa, computer) |
| Long vowels get a dash | チーズ (chiizu, cheese) |
| th becomes s or z | マラソン (marason, marathon) |
| v is usually the バ (ba) row | テレビ (terebi, television) |
| -ng and -tion endings | ステーション (suteeshon, station) |
1. Why do consonants get an extra vowel?
Japanese syllables end in a vowel or ン (n), so a vowel is added after consonants that English leaves bare. It's usually u. After t and d, it's usually o, as in ベッド (beddo, bed).
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
テキスト | tekisuto | text: t-e-k-i-s-u-t-o |
ベッド | beddo | bed: d becomes ド |
ゴルフ | gorufu | golf: l and f both get u |
2. Why are r and l the same?
Japanese has one sound between r and l, written with the ラ (ra), リ (ri), ル (ru), レ (re), ロ (ro) row. Context tells you which the English word had.
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
ライス | raisu | rice (on menus) |
ホテル | hoteru | hotel: l becomes ル |
レモン | remon | lemon |
3. What happens to -er, -or and -ar?
These endings become a long a, written アー (aa). The official rules allow the dash to be dropped where that's the custom.
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
コンピューター | konpyuutaa | computer |
エレベーター | erebeetaa | elevator, lift |
カレンダー | karendaa | calendar |
4. How are long vowels written?
Where English has a long vowel, katakana usually holds it with a dash, the long vowel mark.
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
チーズ | chiizu | cheese |
スプーン | supuun | spoon |
ボール | booru | ball |
5. What happens to th?
Japanese has no th sound, so it usually becomes the サ (sa) or ザ (za) row: s or z.
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
スリー | surii | three |
マラソン | marason | marathon |
ヘルス | herusu | health |
6. What happens to v?
Most words write v with the バ (ba) row. ヴ (vu) is also used, especially when a writer wants to stay close to the original.
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
テレビ | terebi | television |
ビデオ | bideo | video |
バイオリン | baiorin | violin (also ヴァイオリン) |
7. What about -ng and -tion?
Two endings you'll see all the time: -ng becomes ング (ngu), and -tion becomes ション (shon).
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
キング | kingu | king |
ショッピング | shoppingu | shopping |
ステーション | suteeshon | station |
Are All Katakana Words From English?
No. Japanese borrowed from other languages too, often centuries ago, through trade and study. Some of these words are so common now that they don't feel foreign at all.
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
パン | pan | bread, from Portuguese |
アルバイト | arubaito | part-time job, from German |
アンケート | ankeeto | survey, from French |
And some "English" words were made in Japan and mean something else, like サラリーマン (sarariiman, office worker). See Wasei-Eigo.
Can You Go the Other Way?
Yes, and it's great practice. Take an English word, say it the Japanese way, and write it in katakana. "Bus" becomes バス (basu): b-a-s, then a u after the bare s.
Then check your guess in a dictionary or the Katakana Words flashcards. Even when you're slightly off, you'll learn something about how the patterns work. Try it with a few words a day, like milk, cake and taxi.
How Do You Read a New Loanword?
- Sound it out, one character at a time.
- Say it again quickly, letting the added u and o sounds shrink.
- Swap in English sounds: r or l for the ラ (ra) row, th for サ (sa) or ザ (za), v for バ (ba).
- Check the context. On a menu, ライス (raisu) is rice, not lice.
How Do Katakana Flashcards Help?
These patterns only work if you can read the characters quickly. That's what katakana flashcards are for: short shuffled rounds until every character is automatic.
Then the patterns take over. Read lots of loanwords, and you'll find yourself guessing the English before you've finished sounding them out.
- Make sure you can read all 46 basic katakana.
- Learn one pattern a day for a week.
- Read the examples out loud, slowly then quickly.
- Read 10 new loanwords a day in the Katakana Words flashcards.
- Try writing five English words in katakana, then check them.
Any Tips to Get Faster?
- Read out loud, quickly. Saying it fast is what makes the English pop out.
- Ignore the final u or o at first. ゴルフ (gorufu) is "golf" once you drop it.
- Think British or American. Many loanwords follow one pronunciation or the other. Try both.
- Use the context. A word on a menu is probably food.
What Mistakes Do Beginners Make?
- Reading katakana as English spelling. Sound it out first.
- Assuming the meaning matches English. マンション (manshon) is a block of flats, not a mansion.
- Forgetting the dash. It holds the vowel: ボール (booru) is ball.
- Expecting one spelling. Some words have two, like コンピューター (konpyuutaa) and コンピュータ (konpyuuta).
What Should You Learn Next?
- The extended sounds, like ファ (fa) and ティ (ti): Extended Katakana.
- Lots of loanwords to read: Katakana Reading Practice.
- Made-in-Japan English and clipped words: Katakana Words Explained.
Where Can You Get Free Katakana Flashcards?
The katakana flashcards on JLPTCARDS.com are free for the basic and dakuten sets, with accuracy tracking. When you're ready to read, the Katakana Words flashcards have hundreds of loanwords.
Practise the Words
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Frequently asked questions
How do English words change in katakana?
Japanese adds vowels after bare consonants, uses one sound for r and l, and holds long vowels with a dash. So text becomes テキスト (tekisuto).
Why do katakana words have extra vowels?
Japanese syllables end in a vowel or ン (n), so a vowel is added after consonants. It's usually u, or o after t and d.
Why are r and l the same in katakana?
Japanese has one sound between English r and l, written with the ラ (ra) row. Context tells you which the English word had.
Are all katakana words from English?
No. Many are, but some came from Portuguese, German, French and other languages, like パン (pan, bread) from Portuguese.
How can I get better at guessing loanwords?
Read lots of them out loud, quickly. Saying a word fast makes the added vowels shrink, and the English often jumps out.
Do I need to know katakana first?
Yes. Learn the characters with katakana flashcards first, then use these patterns to read loanwords.
Start Cracking Loanwords
Seven patterns turn most katakana loanwords from riddles into words you know. Learn the characters with katakana flashcards, then read loanwords every day and the patterns become second nature.
Open the free katakana flashcards on JLPTCARDS.com, run a round, then come back and try the patterns.
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs (Bunkachō), The Writing of Loanwords (Gairaigo no hyōki), Cabinet Notice No. 2, 1991: long vowels, the -er, -or, -ar note and variant spellings such as バイオリン (baiorin) and ヴァイオリン (vaiorin). https://www.bunka.go.jp/kokugo_nihongo/sisaku/joho/joho/kijun/naikaku/gairai/pdf/94380801_03.pdf
- Word origins of パン (pan), アルバイト (arubaito) and アンケート (ankeeto) from JMdict, via jisho.org.