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Lesson 2: K-row & S-row

Why This Lesson

The K-row and S-row together cover 10 of the most frequently used syllables in Japanese. Words like "sushi," "sake," and "koi" all begin here. Without these, you cannot read or pronounce the majority of basic Japanese vocabulary.

Goal

Read and pronounce all 10 characters (か き く け こ / さ し す せ そ) accurately from memory.

What You Gain

After finishing, you can recognize and pronounce 15 of the 46 hiragana characters (vowels + K + S rows), enough to start reading simple words.

K-row — か行

Each K-sound pairs a consonant "k" with a vowel you already know. Listen and repeat.

か ka Like "ka" in "karate"
き ki Like "key"
く ku Like "coo" in "cool"
け ke Like "ke" in "Ken"
こ ko Like "co" in "cold"

S-row — さ行

The S-row introduces soft, flowing sounds. Note: し (shi) is irregular — it uses "shi" not "si".

さ sa Like "sa" in "samba"
し shi Like "she" but softer
す su Like "sue"
せ se Like "se" in "set"
そ so Like "so" in "sofa"

Practice: Listen & Identify

Play the audio and select the correct character.

1. Listen:
さ (sa)
し (shi)
す (su)
せ (se)
2. Listen:
か (ka)
き (ki)
く (ku)
こ (ko)
3. Listen:
す (su)
せ (se)
さ (sa)
そ (so)
4. Listen:
こ (ko)
け (ke)
き (ki)
か (ka)
5. Listen:
し (shi)
そ (so)
さ (sa)
す (su)
Next: Numbers 1–10 →