Age, Part 3: Writing Hiragana (s-/z-) and Practice

Let's look at writing hiragana and then complete some practice activities.

Hiragana Stroke Order: s- and z-

The following cards contain a gif demonstrating the correct stroke order for the hiragana symbols based on s- and z- (さ、し、す、せ、そ、ざ、じ、ず、ぜ、ぞ). Remember that z- uses the same symbols as s- but with the dakuten. If you need to watch the order more than once, reload the page. Practice writing these new hiragana using correct stroke order!

Download and print the Hiragana Writing Practice - s/z handout. You do not have to turn this in, but use it to practice your writing skills.

Interactive Activities

The directions for the activities below are written with the idea of you working with a partner. If you do not have a partner available, complete the practice on your own, completing both parts of the activity as well as you can.

Vocabulary check

Silently review the vocabulary for this lesson. Then have a kurasumeeto (classmate) orally test your knowledge of the new Japanese words, phrases, and expressions. Your partner says the English, and you give the nihongo. Switch and test your partner.

Vocabulary review

Test your partner’s knowledge of Japanese vocabulary from Lessons 1-6. Select five words for your kurasumeeto, and then switch roles. Continue to alternate. Jot down in the box below those words you need to study.

Kore-wa nan desu-ka?

Do this activity with a kurasumeeto. Sit facing your partner with this page held against a book or nooto so that your partner cannot see through your paper. Partner A points to (touches) one of the pictures and asks, “Kore-wa nan desu-ka?” Partner B looks at the picture on his/her own page, guesses which picture Partner A has selected, and asks (for example), “Sore-wa fakkusu desu-ka?” If the guess is correct, Partner A says, “Hai, soo desu,” and they change roles. If the guess is not correct, Partner A says, “Iie, fakkusu ja nai desu. Moo ichi-do, kore-wa nan desu-ka?” Partner B continues guessing until the correct picture has been identified. Change roles and continue.

Hiragana reading practice

Practice reading the following words with your partner. Partner B covers the roomaji. Partner A tells Partner B which words to read. For example, Partner A says, “Number 7.” Partner B reads うすい correctly as usui. After 5 words, change roles and continue.

**Reading Practice**
Hiragana	Roomaji (readings - cover this side to practice!)
おさけおいしいすこしせかいおそいざあざあうすいしずかかぜかぞくあしすきすしすずしいうごくうさぎじさかさがくせいいそぐ	osake (rice wine) oishii (delicious) sukoshi (a little) sekai (world) osoi (late, slow) zaazaa (the sound of pouring rain (an onomatopoetic word)) usui (thin) shizuka (quiet) kaze (wind) kazoku (family) ashi (leg, foot) suki (like) sushi (sushi) suzushii (cool) ugoku (move) usagi (rabbit) jisa (time difference) kasa (umbrella) gakusei (student) isogu (hurry)

Practice Assignment

Generating sentences

Generate complete and grammatically correct sentences by adding the missing words. Use the given words in the same order as they appear. Write each sentence in its entirety.

Example: Hiroshi-kun____ - roku____ - desu. = Hiroshi-kun-wa roku-sai desu.

City Bank____ - Sumisu-san____ - ____.
Gakkoo____ - doko____ - ____-ka?
Kenji-kun____ - ____-sai desu - ____?
Kore____ - nan____ - ____-ka?

[CC BY-NC-SA 4.0] UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED | IMAGES: LICENSED AND USED ACCORDING TO TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION - INTENDED ONLY FOR USE WITHIN LESSON.
Lesson content based on material created by Georgia Public Broadcasting, 1996. All rights reserved. Used with permission.