Ra Ri Ru

Katakana 1

Chapter 16 · Ra Ri Ru

🌿 The R Row Begins — ラ リ ル

Three new characters: ラ (ra), リ (ri) and ル (ru). This is the biggest word-list chapter in the course: with these three you can read cameras, hotels, countries and even ice cream. Romaji is shown for everything.

✨ Your Three New Characters — ラ リ ル

ラ
ra
a quick tap of the tongue, between English "r", "l" and "d", then "ah"
2 strokes · stroke order ▸
Memory hook: a ramp: a short bar on top and a long slope running down to the left. Hiragana twin: ら.
リ
ri
the same tap, then "ee"
2 strokes · stroke order ▸
Memory hook: two river banks: a short bank on the left and a longer one curving on the right. Hiragana twin: り.
ル
ru
the same tap, then "oo"
2 strokes · stroke order ▸
Memory hook: a runner's legs: one leg straight, one leg flicking out as it runs. Hiragana twin: る.
KatakanaHiragana twinRomaji
ra
ri
ru
The Japanese R: One Sound for Both R and L The Japanese r is a single quick tap of the tip of the tongue just behind the upper teeth, a sound somewhere between English "r", "l" and "d". Japanese has no separate "l", so English words with an l use the R row too: ホテル (ho-te-ru, hotel), ミルク (mi-ru-ku, milk) and ルール (ru-u-ru, rule). Don't roll or curl your tongue: just tap.
Look-Alikes: リ, ソ and ン リ (ri) is two upright strokes: a short one on the left and a long one on the right. The slanting characters ソ, ン, シ and ツ lean over, so if the strokes stand up, it's リ. And watch for ル (ru) against レ (re), which you'll meet in the next chapter.

📖 Read It — Real Words

#WordRomajiEnglishNote
1kameracameraka-me-ra
2AmerikaAmericaa-me-ri-ka
3mirukumilkmi-ru-ku
4hoteruhotelho-te-ru
5rūruruleru-u-ru
6ItariaItalyi-ta-ri-a
7AfurikaAfricaa-fu-ri-ka
8ŌsutorariaAustraliao-o-su-to-ra-ri-a: seven beats
9aisukurīmuice creama-i-su-ku-ri-i-mu: seven beats
10koarakoalako-a-ra
11ratelattera-te
12risutolistri-su-to
13rūmuroomru-u-mu
14terasuterracete-ra-su
Country Names Notice how country names look in katakana: アメリカ, イタリア, アフリカ and オーストラリア all end in a vowel because the Japanese syllable always does. Names of most countries outside East Asia are written in katakana, so this chapter alone lets you read a good part of a world map.

✍️ Try It Yourself — れんしゅう

Say each answer out loud first, then click to check.

1. Read aloud: · ·

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ra · ri · ru

2. Read aloud and translate: · ·

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kamera (camera) · miruku (milk) · hoteru (hotel)

3. Read aloud and translate: · ·

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Amerika (America) · Itaria (Italy) · Afurika (Africa)

4. Read aloud and translate: ·

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Ōsutoraria (Australia) · aisukurīmu (ice cream)

5. Why does Japanese write the English l in hotel with the R row?

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Japanese has no separate "l" sound: the R row, a quick tongue tap, covers both English r and l.

6. Write in katakana: kamera · hoteru · koara (check the stroke order).

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· ·

Coming Up in Chapter 5 Two more R sounds: レ (re) and ロ (ro), completing the R row. You'll read カレー (curry), トイレ (toilet), ロシア (Russia) and ヒーロー (hero).