Common English Words in Katakana
Katakana is used to write thousands of English loanwords in Japanese. Whether you are reading a menu, a sign, or a product label in Japan, you will see katakana everywhere. This page lists the most common English words written in katakana, organized by category with pronunciation guides.
Food and Drinks in Katakana
Japanese has adopted many English food and drink words. Here are the most common ones written in katakana.
Can't find your favorite food or drink? Use our English to Katakana converter to turn any English word into katakana instantly.
Countries, Cities and Places in Katakana
Foreign place names and location words are written in katakana in Japanese.
Don't see your city or country listed? Try our English to Katakana converter to transliterate any place name into katakana.
Sports and Entertainment in Katakana
Sports, games, and entertainment terms from English commonly used in Japanese.
Looking for a sport or hobby not listed above? Our English to Katakana converter can help you write any word in katakana.
Technology, Clothing and Objects in Katakana
Modern technology, clothing items, and everyday objects borrowed from English.
Need to write a different object or gadget in katakana? Use the English to Katakana converter to get the correct katakana spelling.
English Names in Katakana
English personal names are written in katakana when used in Japanese contexts.
Want to write your own name in katakana? Enter it into our English to Katakana converter and get the result right away.
Everyday Words in Katakana
Common English words that have become part of everyday Japanese vocabulary.
Didn't find the word you need? Convert any English word to katakana with our English to Katakana tool.
How to Write Your Name in Katakana
Writing your English name in katakana is a fun and useful skill. Here is how it works: break your name into syllables, then match each syllable to the closest Japanese sound. Japanese has fewer distinct sounds than English, so the result is a phonetic approximation. For example:
To convert your own name, start by saying it slowly and breaking it into separate vowel and consonant sounds. Then use our katakana chart to find the matching character for each sound. Remember that Japanese syllables always end in a vowel sound (except ん/n), so consonant clusters get extra vowel sounds inserted.
Don't see your name in the examples above? Use our English to Katakana converter to get your name written in katakana instantly.
Tips for Reading Katakana Words
Here are some useful patterns to help you recognize English loanwords in katakana:
- Long vowels are extended with a dash (ー): コーヒー (kōhī = coffee), スープ (sūpu = soup)
- The "th" sound becomes "s" or "z": ス (su), ザ (za) — サンダー (sandā = thunder)
- The "v" sound becomes "b": ビデオ (bideo = video), バイオリン (baiorin = violin)
- The "l" sound becomes "r": ラジオ (rajio = radio), レストラン (resutoran = restaurant)
- Words ending in consonants get a vowel added: テレビ (terebi = television), クリスマス (kurisumasu = Christmas)
- The "tu" sound becomes "tsu": ツアー (tsuā = tour)
Frequently Asked Questions about Katakana
How do I write my name in katakana?
To write your name in katakana, break it down into syllables and match each syllable to the closest katakana sound. English names are transliterated phonetically — for example, "John" becomes ジョン (jon), "Mary" becomes メアリー (mearī), and "David" becomes デイビッド (deibiddo). Use our katakana chart to find the right characters for each sound in your name.
Why are English words written in katakana?
Japanese uses katakana for foreign loanwords (gairaigo) because these words come from languages outside Japan. Katakana distinguishes them from native Japanese words written in hiragana or kanji. Over time, Japanese has adopted thousands of English words into daily use — from コーヒー (coffee) to コンピューター (computer) — all written in katakana.
How do I know if a word is written in katakana?
Any word that originated from a foreign language is typically written in katakana. This includes food names (ピザ pizza, ハンバーガー hamburger), country names (アメリカ America, イギリス England), brand names (マクドナルド McDonald's), technology terms (テレビ television, インターネット internet), and many more. If you see angular, sharp-looking characters on a Japanese menu or sign, that is katakana.
Can all English words be written in katakana?
Most English words can be approximated in katakana, but the result is a phonetic adaptation, not a direct translation. Japanese has fewer distinct sounds than English, so some approximations are necessary. For example, "ice cream" becomes アイスクリーム (aisukurīmu) and "chocolate" becomes チョコレート (chokorēto). The katakana version follows Japanese syllable rules.
How many English loanwords are used in Japanese?
There are thousands of English loanwords in everyday Japanese. The Japanese government's official list includes over 3,000 commonly used gairaigo. These words span categories like food, technology, sports, fashion, and business. Learning the most common katakana words gives you a significant head start in reading Japanese.
What is the difference between katakana and hiragana loanwords?
Hiragana is never used for foreign loanwords — that role belongs exclusively to katakana. Hiragana is used for native Japanese words and grammatical elements. Katakana marks a word as foreign in origin. Occasionally, a word of foreign origin becomes so common that some people mistakenly write it in hiragana, but the correct form is always katakana.
All Katakana Characters
- ア (a)
- イ (i)
- ウ (u)
- エ (e)
- オ (o)
- カ (ka)
- キ (ki)
- ク (ku)
- ケ (ke)
- コ (ko)
- サ (sa)
- シ (shi)
- ス (su)
- セ (se)
- ソ (so)
- タ (ta)
- チ (chi)
- ツ (tsu)
- テ (te)
- ト (to)
- ナ (na)
- ニ (ni)
- ヌ (nu)
- ネ (ne)
- ノ (no)
- ハ (ha)
- ヒ (hi)
- フ (fu)
- ヘ (he)
- ホ (ho)
- マ (ma)
- ミ (mi)
- ム (mu)
- メ (me)
- モ (mo)
- ヤ (ya)
- ユ (yu)
- ヨ (yo)
- ラ (ra)
- リ (ri)
- ル (ru)
- レ (re)
- ロ (ro)
- ワ (wa)
- ヲ (wo)
- ン (n)