Adding Ten-Ten Marks to Japanese Syllables

What are "ten-ten" marks, and what do can we do with them? A "ten-ten" mark is basically a single quotation symbol and is added to certain Japanese syllables to make new syllables that sound different. It makes voiced syllables gutteral. We can add "ten-ten" marks to the k, s, t, and h lines of the Japanese syllabary changin the syllables into their gutteral equivalents. An example would be when we place a "ten ten" mark after a voiced k it becomes its' gutteralized g. In other words, ka, ki, ku, ke, ko becomes ga, gi, gu, ge, go.

か、き、く、け、こ becomes が、ぎ、ぐ、げ、ご

か + " =  が or  ga
き + " =  ぎ or  gi
く + "  =  ぐ or  gu
け + " =  げ or  ge
こ + " =  ご or  go

In the same manner adding a "ten-ten" mark to
sa, shi, su, se or so will turn them into their gutteralized versions ie. za, zhi (ji), zu, ze, zo etc.

さ、し、す、せ、そ becomes ざ、 じ、 ず、ぜ、ぞ

さ + " = ざ or za
し + " = じ or zhi (ji)
す + " = ず or zu
せ + " = ぜ or ze
そ + " = ぞ or zo

We can also add them to the ta line of syllables so that ta, chi, tsu, te, to becomes da, ji, zu, de, and do.
た、ち、つ、て、と becomes だ、ぢ、づ, で、ど

た + " = だ or da
ち + " = ぢ or ji (dzi)
つ + " = づ or zu (dzu)
て + " = で or de
と + " = ど or do

Lastly, the ha, hi, fu, he, ho line of the syllabary has two ways into which they can change. 1. Adding a "ten-ten" mark to the ha line of the syllabary makes them ba, bi ,bu ,be ,bo. 2. Adding a small degree symbol to the ha line makes each one turn into yet new syllables, they turn into pa, pi, pu, pe, po.

は、ひ、ふ、へ、ほ becomes ば、び、ぶ、べ、ぼ, and ぱ、ぴ、ぷ、ぺ、ぽ

は + " = ば or  ba
ひ + " = び or  bi
ふ + " = ぶ or  bu
へ + " = べ or  be
ほ + " = ぼ or  bo
 
and
 
は + °= ぱ or  pa
ひ + °= ぴ or  pi
ふ + °= ぷ or  pu
へ + °= ぺ or  pe
ほ + °= ぽ or  po

Some interesting Japanese words

Here are some interesting Japanese words for your enjoyment

Kashikomarimashita - I totally understand and will do as you command

Ton Demo Nai - no sweat, it aint nothing

o-Sewa ni natte kudasaimashite taihen arigatou gozaimasu - thanks for going out of your way for me, I am extremely thankful

oshii - darnit

yoshii - yay!

oi - hey

arya - oh man

o-negai moshiagemasu - I humbly ask it of you

O-kyaku-sama - guests, houseguests

Irrashaimase - welcome

Haizara - ashtray

O negai dekimasu ka? - you think you could do it for me?

Shitsurei shimasu - I am sorry

Rusu ni shite orimasu - I am not in right now, nobody is home

Go-chiso sama deshita - what a great meal

Itadakimasu - I humbly partake



Towards Better Japanese Ganbatte ne! Do Your Best! Makurasuki

Where in Japanese

Let's take a look at the word for "where" in Japanese.

The word for "where" in Japanese is

DOKO

1. Where are you from?
Doko kara kimashita ka?

To which you can answer - I am from America.
Amerika kara kimashita.

DOKODEMO - anywhere

2. Where should I put this?
Doko ni oittara ii desu ka?

To which you could answer - Anywhere.
Dokodemo.






Towards Better Japanese
Ganbatte ne!
Do Your Best!
Makurasuki