N5

Katakana II: Loanwords and Long Vowels

Build katakana fluency with long vowels, common word shapes, and everyday imported vocabulary.

Recognize the long vowel mark ーRead common katakana loanwords more smoothlyNotice how Japanese pronunciation reshapes imported words

Guided study

The long vowel mark

Katakana frequently uses ー to stretch the vowel sound before it. This is one of the most important symbols to notice in beginner katakana reading.

スーパー

supermarket

The long mark ー stretches the vowel before it.

Interactive word chips will appear once token metadata is added.

メール

mail / email

Another common word with the long vowel mark.

Interactive word chips will appear once token metadata is added.