Hiragana Translator β Write English in Japanese Kana
Convert English sounds into Japanese hiragana and katakana, syllable by syllable. This is phonetic transliteration, not translation β learn the difference below.
What Is Hiragana?
Hiragana is one of the three scripts of written Japanese, alongside katakana and the borrowed Chinese characters called kanji. Hiragana is a syllabary: each character stands for a whole syllable, such as ka (γ) or mo (γ), rather than a single letter. With 46 basic characters it can spell out any Japanese sound. This tool transliterates English phonetically into kana β it captures how a word sounds, not what it means.
Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji
Japanese uses its three scripts together. Kanji carry meaning and are used for most nouns and word stems. Hiragana handles grammar β verb endings, particles and native words. Katakana, which has the same sounds as hiragana but sharper, more angular shapes, is reserved chiefly for foreign words and names. That is why, if you want to write an English name in Japanese, katakana is usually the correct choice, and this tool offers it as a second tab.
How Transliteration Works
Because Japanese syllables are mostly a consonant followed by a vowel, English words get reshaped to fit. A word like "strike" becomes su-to-ra-i-ku (γΉγγ©γ€γ―), since Japanese cannot easily stack consonants or end most syllables on one. This tool reads your text in chunks of one or two letters and maps each to its nearest kana, giving a result that an English speaker can recognise and a Japanese speaker can pronounce.
Kana in Modern Culture
From anime and manga to game titles and product branding, kana are instantly recognisable worldwide. Writing your own name in katakana is one of the first delightful steps many learners take, and it is a small, friendly doorway into the Japanese writing system.
Common Romaji to Hiragana Words
| Romaji | Hiragana | Katakana |
|---|---|---|
| a | γ | γ’ |
| i | γ | γ€ |
| u | γ | γ¦ |
| e | γ | γ¨ |
| o | γ | γͺ |
| ka | γ | γ« |
| ki | γ | γ |
| ku | γ | γ― |
| ke | γ | γ± |
| ko | γ | γ³ |
| sa | γ | γ΅ |
| shi | γ | γ· |
| su | γ | γΉ |
| ta | γ | γΏ |
| chi | γ‘ | γ |
| na | γͺ | γ |
| ni | γ« | γ |
| ha | γ― | γ |
| ma | γΎ | γ |
| ya | γ | γ€ |
| ra | γ | γ© |
| wa | γ | γ― |
| n | γ | γ³ |
| mo | γ | γ’ |
| to | γ¨ | γ |
Attested scholarly forms. Regional and period variations exist.
English to Hiragana Translator
How to Use This Translator
- Type or paste English text into the box above. Short, concrete sentences work best.
- Read the Hiragana output, and switch tabs to see alternate scripts or directions.
- Copy your result with the Copy button to use it anywhere.
What it does well: it converts English text into recognisable kana syllable by syllable, with a katakana mode that is ideal for writing foreign names. Its limits: it transliterates sound, not meaning, and English consonant clusters get reshaped to fit Japanese syllables, so spellings are approximate rather than official.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hiragana
No. It transliterates the sounds of your English into Japanese kana. It does not convert meaning into Japanese words. For example, "cat" becomes "kyatto" in sound, not the Japanese word for cat.
They represent the same set of syllables but look different. Hiragana is rounded and used for native Japanese words and grammar; katakana is angular and used mainly for foreign words and names.
Use katakana. Foreign names and loanwords are conventionally written in katakana, so the Katakana tab is the right choice for transliterating an English name.
Japanese syllables are mostly consonant-plus-vowel, so English consonant clusters and final consonants get vowels inserted to fit. "Strike" becomes "su-to-ra-i-ku".
Yes. The output uses genuine Unicode hiragana and katakana, so you can copy and paste it into any app or document.
Kanji are the Chinese-derived characters Japanese uses for meaning, alongside the two kana syllabaries. This tool does not produce kanji, only the phonetic kana.
There are 46 basic characters in each of hiragana and katakana, plus modified forms with diacritics. The 46 basics are enough to spell any Japanese syllable.
If a character does not map to a kana syllable, the tool leaves it in place. Silent letters and unusual clusters may not convert cleanly.
It is a fun first step for recognising kana and writing names, but real learning requires studying the syllabaries, grammar and kanji systematically.
It follows common conventions but is an approximation. Official katakana spellings of specific foreign words sometimes differ, so check important names against a dictionary.
Further Reading & Resources
- π
Genki: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese βThe most popular beginner Japanese course, teaching kana from the start.
- π
Remembering the Kana βA fast, memory-based method for learning hiragana and katakana.
- π
Japanese the Manga Way βLearns grammar and script through real manga examples.
- π
Tofugu Hiragana Guide βA free, well-regarded online guide to learning the kana.
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