Romaji to Hiragana: Conversion Guide

Romaji is Japanese written in Roman letters. It's useful for beginners, but you'll want to graduate to reading hiragana directly as soon as possible.

This guide covers the complete romaji-to-hiragana mapping so you can make that transition.

The Basic Pattern

Japanese syllables follow a simple consonant + vowel structure. Each combination maps to one hiragana:

Consonant (k, s, t, n...) + Vowel (a, i, u, e, o) = Hiragana

Exception: The standalone consonant "n" (ん).

Complete Conversion Chart

Vowels (No Consonant)

K-Row

S-Row

T-Row

N-Row

H-Row

M-Row

Y-Row

(No yi or ye in modern Japanese)

R-Row

W-Row

(を is only used as a particle, pronounced "o")

Standalone N

Voiced Consonants (Dakuten)

Adding ゛ to certain kana voices the consonant:

G-Row (Voiced K)

Z-Row (Voiced S)

D-Row (Voiced T)

B-Row (Voiced H)

P-Row (Semi-Voiced H)

Combination Characters (Yōon)

Small や, ゆ, よ combine with i-column kana:

K + Y

S + Y / Sh

T + Y / Ch

N + Y

H + Y

M + Y

R + Y

Voiced Combinations

(Same pattern for yu and yo variants)

Special Cases

Double Consonants (っ)

Doubled consonant letters create small っ:

Long Vowels

Extend the vowel:

Note: Long "o" is usually おう (ou), not おお.

The "n" Before Vowels

Before vowels or y, use nn or n':

Without the marker, it becomes a different reading:

• kani = かに (crab)
• kan'i = かんい (simple)

Romaji Systems

Different systems romanize Japanese differently:

Common Variations

Most learning materials and IMEs accept all variants.

Why Move Beyond Romaji

Problems with Romaji

1. Ambiguity: Multiple ways to write the same sound
2. Not authentic: Japanese isn't written this way
3. Slower reading: Extra mental conversion step
4. Missed nuances: Word boundaries unclear
5. Bad habits: Pronunciation affected by English reading

The Solution

Learn to read hiragana directly. It takes about 2 weeks of focused practice. After that:

• Reading becomes faster
• Pronunciation improves
• Real Japanese text becomes accessible
• You can use proper learning materials

Conversion Practice

Exercise 1: Single Characters

Convert these romaji to hiragana:

1. ka → ?
2. shi → ?
3. tsu → ?
4. ne → ?
5. fu → ?

Answers: か, し, つ, ね, ふ

Exercise 2: Words

Convert these words:

1. sakura → ?
2. nihon → ?
3. arigatou → ?
4. sumimasen → ?
5. konnichiwa → ?

Answers: さくら, にほん, ありがとう, すみません, こんにちは

Exercise 3: With Combinations

1. kyou → ?
2. chuugoku → ?
3. ryokou → ?
4. jikan → ?
5. byouin → ?

Answers: きょう, ちゅうごく, りょこう, じかん, びょういん

Practice Resources

Quick Reference Card

Basic Pattern: consonant + vowel = hiragana

Exceptions to remember:

• shi (not si), chi (not ti), tsu (not tu), fu (not hu)
• ji for じ (not zi usually)
• n before vowels needs nn or n'
• Double consonants make っ
• Small ya/yu/yo after i-column kana

When in doubt: Try it in a Japanese IME - it will show you what works.

Ready to read hiragana directly? Start with our Hiragana guide and leave romaji behind.