If you can read basic hiragana/katakana but still trip on が/ぱ, this page is for you.
Goal (simple):
✅ Read dakuten/handakuten instantly → ✅ stop mixing pairs (か/が, は/ば/ぱ) → ✅ practice with a routine that actually sticks.
Quick links
If you want the full kana roadmap first, go here:
What are dakuten / handakuten?
Dakuten (゛) and handakuten (゜) are small marks that change a kana’s sound:
- dakuten turns a “clear” sound into a voiced sound (example: か → が)
- handakuten (the small circle, sometimes called maru) turns the H-row into P sounds (example: は → ぱ)
You’ll see these marks in real beginner words very early—so it’s worth mastering them right after basic kana.
The core chart (most used sounds)
This is the high-frequency dakuten/handakuten set you’ll use constantly. (No yoon, no small っ—just the core.)
K → G (か行 → が行)
| Base | Dakuten |
|---|---|
| か | が |
| き | ぎ |
| く | ぐ |
| け | げ |
| こ | ご |
S → Z (さ行 → ざ行)
| Base | Dakuten |
|---|---|
| さ | ざ |
| し | じ |
| す | ず |
| せ | ぜ |
| そ | ぞ |
T → D (た行 → だ行)
| Base | Dakuten |
|---|---|
| た | だ |
| ち | ぢ |
| つ | づ |
| て | で |
| と | ど |
H → B / P (は行 → ば行 / ぱ行)
| Base | Dakuten (B) | Handakuten (P) |
|---|---|---|
| は | ば | ぱ |
| ひ | び | ぴ |
| ふ | ぶ | ぷ |
| へ | べ | ぺ |
| ほ | ぼ | ぽ |
3 common mistakes (and how to fix them)
1) Mixing か/が, さ/ざ (you “see” the mark but still read the old sound)
Fix: train as pairs, not as separate charts.
Do contrast reading like:
- か → が → か → が → …
- さ → ざ → さ → ざ → …
This forces your brain to link “mark = new sound” instead of treating it like decoration.
2) Confusing ば vs ぱ (B vs P)
These two are the classic problem.
Fast rule:
- ば (B) = voiced, smoother vibration
- ぱ (P) = “pop” sound, stronger burst of air
Quick drill: put your hand in front of your mouth:
- say ぱ — you should feel a clearer puff of air
- say ば — less burst, more voice
If your tool shows mouth shape, watch the lip opening and match the airflow.
3) じ/ぢ and ず/づ (why do they feel “the same”?)
In modern standard Japanese, many speakers pronounce じ and ぢ very similarly, and the same for ず and づ—this is part of the well-known merging pattern (often discussed under “四つ仮名 / yotsugana”).
What to do as a learner (don’t overthink it):
- Reading: learn the spelling rules later; for now, recognize both forms.
- Speaking: aim for a clean じ / ず sound first.
- Confidence tip: if you can hear and say them in real words, you’re already winning.
(If a specific word needs a special distinction later, you’ll learn it naturally through listening practice.)
Practice drills (your 3-minute routine per group)
This is the core of the page. Pick one group (K→G, S→Z, T→D, H→B/P) and do the 4 drills below.
4-step drill (3 minutes per group)
- Drill A — Listen → mouth shape → shadow (10 reps each)
Pick 5 kana (e.g., がぎぐげご). Listen, watch mouth shape, then copy out loud. - Drill B — Contrast pairs (10 rounds)
Alternate base/marked: か→が→か→が… (same for all rows). - Drill C — Write (5 reps each)
Write the kana slowly. Make the ゛ or ゜ clean and obvious. - Drill D — Mixed recall (10 random)
Randomly test yourself so you don’t “only know it in order.”
A printable drill list (copy/paste friendly)
K→G
- が ぎ ぐ げ ご
- Pair drill: か/が, き/ぎ, く/ぐ, け/げ, こ/ご
S→Z
- ざ じ ず ぜ ぞ
- Pair drill: さ/ざ, し/じ, す/ず, せ/ぜ, そ/ぞ
T→D
- だ ぢ づ で ど
- Pair drill: た/だ, ち/ぢ, つ/づ, て/で, と/ど
H→B/P
- B: ば び ぶ べ ぼ
- P: ぱ ぴ ぷ ぺ ぽ
- Pair drill: は/ば/ぱ (triple contrast is best)
How to practice with the Avatalks Kana Tool (audio → mouth → writing)
Use the tool like a coach, not like a chart.
The SOP (same every day)
- Listen (10x) — don’t rush; lock the vowel
- Shadow (10x) — match rhythm and mouth shape
- Write (5x) — make the marks clear (゛ is two strokes; ゜ is a clean circle)
- Mixed review (10) — random recall, not in-row reading
Open the Kana Tool → Practice Dakuten/Handakuten Now
Tip: “Read 10 times, then write 5 times” for each kana
Next steps
You’ve nailed the “゛゜ layer.” Now keep the learning clean (no giant mixed lesson).
Back to the Kana Roadmap (Hub) →
The full plan: hiragana → katakana → kana extras.
Kana Extras overview →
See what to learn next and in what order.
Yoon combinations →
きゃ / しゃ / りゃ patterns with pronunciation drills.
Small っ / ッ (Sokuon) guide →
Master the pause behind words like がっこう and ちょっと with step-by-step drills.
FAQ
What does dakuten mean?
Dakuten is the mark ゛ that makes a sound voiced (example: か → が).
What does handakuten mean?
Handakuten is the small circle ゜ that changes the H-row into P sounds (example: は → ぱ).
When should I learn dakuten/handakuten?
Right after basic kana feels comfortable—often around days 10–14 of a two-week plan—because real beginner words use them early.
Why do じ/ぢ and ず/づ sound the same?
In modern Japanese, many speakers merge these sounds (commonly discussed under “四つ仮名 / yotsugana”), so they can sound very similar in everyday speech.
How do I stop mixing ば and ぱ?
Train contrast and airflow: ぱ has a sharper burst of air; ば is more voiced and smoother. Use the tool’s audio + mouth shape and do short daily drills.
What should I practice every day?
Use this loop: Listen → Shadow → Write → Mixed review. Ten minutes daily beats one long weekly session.
Quick start (one click)
Start dakuten/handakuten practice now →