Video:Learn Japanese: How to Pronounce Hiragana Part 11: Extended Sounds

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Transcript:Learn Japanese: How to Pronounce Hiragana Part 11: Extended Sounds

Hi, I'm Ayaka Hills of Hills Learning in New York, for About.com. In this video, I am going to demonstrate how to pronounce hiragana characters with extended sounds.

Examples of Extended Hiragana Characters

The characters やゆ (ya, yu) and よ (yo) are added to the lower right hand corner of some Hiragana, so they can represent more sounds.

For example, やゆよ (ya, yu, yo) can be added to き (ki) to write きゃきゅきょ (kya, kyu, kyo). きょ (kyo) can be used to write せんきょ (senkyo), or "election." せんきょ (senkyo), election.

し (shi), followed by やゆよ (ya, yu, yo) becomes しゃしゅしょ (sha, shu, sho). しゃ(sha) can be used to write かいしゃ (kaisha), "company." かいしゃ (kaisha), company.

More Extended Hiragana Characters

ち (chi), followed by やゆよ (ya, yu, yo) becomes ちゃちゅちょ (cha, chu, cho). ちょ (cho) can be used to write しちょう (shicho), "mayor." しちょう (shicho), mayor.

に (ni), followed by やゆよ (ya, yu, yo) becomes にゃにゅにょ (nya, nyu, nyo).

ひ (hi), followed by やゆよ (ya, yu, yo) becomes ひゃひゅひょ (hya, hyu, hyo).

み (mi), followed by やゆよ (ya, yu, yo) becomes みゃみゅみょ (mya, myu, myo).

り (ri), followed by やゆよ (ya, yu, yo) becomes りゃりゅりょ (rya, ryu, ryo).

Extending Hiragana With Dashes and Circle

Some Hiragana with dashes and circles can also be extended in this way. For example:

ぎ (gi), followed by やゆよ (ya, yu, yo) becomes ぎゃぎゅぎょ (gya, gyu, gyo).

じ (ji), followed by やゆよ (ya, yu, yo) becomes じゃじゅじょ (jya, jyu, jyo).

び (bi), followed by やゆよ (ya, yu, yo) becomes びゃびゅびょ (bya, byu, byo).

ぴ (pi), followed by やゆよ (ya, yu, yo) becomes ぴゃぴゅぴょ (pya, pyu, pyo).

Thanks for watching. To learn more about Hiragana and Japanese, please visit About.com.