わ
wahiragana
In hiragana, "wa" is written わ (wa). When は works as the topic particle, it is also read "wa", and the katakana version is ワ (wa).
Meaning: the hiragana letter for the sound wa (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| わ | wa | hiragana |
| は | wa | hiragana, particle |
| ワ | wa | katakana |
Use わ for the sound inside words like わたし (watashi), "I", and わに (wani), "crocodile".
How does it change in a sentence?
The letter わ also appears at the end of some sentences in softer speech, as a gentle sentence ending.
What mistakes should you avoid?
The particle in わたしはがくせいです is written は even though it sounds like わ, because it is the grammar particle.
Did you know?
- In the standard hiragana chart, わ begins the last row, followed by を (o) and ん (n).
Examples in context
- わたしはがくせいです。Watashi wa gakusei desu.I am a student.
- わにがいます。Wani ga imasu.There is a crocodile.
- わあ、きれい！Wā, kirei!Wow, pretty!
Example conversation
A teacher shows a hiragana chart to a student in a beginner class.
- Teacherこのじはなんですか。Kono ji wa nan desu ka?What is this letter?
- Student「わ」です。"Wa" desu.It is "wa".
- Teacherそうです。「わたし」の「わ」ですね。Sō desu. "Watashi" no "wa" desu ne.That is right. The "wa" of "watashi".
