ガ (ga)
Pronunciation
The character ガ represents the syllable 'ga'. It is カ with the dakuten — two small marks at the upper right that voice the consonant from 'k' to 'g'. Common in loanwords for gas, glass, garage, etc.
Stroke-by-Stroke Guide
ガ is written in four strokes. The first two strokes are identical to カ (curving horizontal, then a long diagonal). Then add the dakuten: Stroke 3: a small diagonal mark at the upper right. Stroke 4: a second small diagonal mark below or to the right of the first. The two marks voice the syllable from 'ka' to 'ga'.
Common Words with ガ
- ガス (gasu) — gas
- ガソリン (gasorin) — gasoline
- ガラス (garasu) — glass (material)
- ガレージ (gareeji) — garage
- ガイド (gaido) — guide
- ガード (gaado) — guard
- ハンガー (hangaa) — hanger (clothes)
- ハンバーガー (hanbaagaa) — hamburger
- ガム (gamu) — gum (chewing)
- オルガン (orugan) — organ (musical instrument)
- ガリレオ (garireo) — Galileo
- ガレッジ (garejji) — garage (alt. spelling)
How to Write ガ (ga) in Katakana
The katakana character ガ is romanized as "ga" and is written with 4 strokes. Like "ga" in "garden". Example word: ガソリン (gasorin) — gasoline.
Stroke Order for ガ
When writing ガ, follow the numbered stroke order shown in the reference character above. Japanese characters are generally written from left to right and top to bottom. Correct stroke order improves readability and writing speed.
Practice Tips
- Print this sheet on standard 8.5" × 11" letter paper
- Start by tracing the light grey guide characters in the first column
- Then practice writing ガ freehand in the empty squares
- Pay attention to stroke direction and order — follow the numbered guide
- For interactive practice with animations, visit the main study page
About Katakana
Katakana is one of the three Japanese writing systems. It consists of 46 basic characters, each representing a syllable. Katakana is used for foreign loanwords, scientific terms, and emphasis. Learning correct stroke order is essential for proper Japanese handwriting.