Sokuon (促音)
A small っ (ッ) has no sound of its own — it doubles the next consonant with a short pause.
| きって | kitte | stamp |
| ざっし | zasshi | magazine |
| いっぱい | ippai | full |
| みっか | mikka | the 3rd (day) |
| みっつ | mittsu | three (things) |
| もっと | motto | more |
| ちょっと | chotto | a little |
| いっしょ | issho | together |
| きっぷ | kippu | ticket |
| まっすぐ | massugu | straight |
| カップ | kappu | cup |
| ベッド | beddo | bed |
| バッグ | baggu | bag |
| ロック | rokku | rock music |
| ポケット | poketto | |
| マッチ | matchi | match |
| ネット | netto | the internet |
| チケット | chiketto | ticket |
| サッカー | sakkā | soccer |
| クッキー | kukkī | cookie |
How to read it
- Pause for one beat at the small っ, then say the next consonant sharply. It is silent but still counts as a beat.
- In romaji the next consonant is written twice:
- きって → kitte (stamp)
- いっぱい → ippai (full)
- みっか → mikka (the 3rd)
- Before ch, Hepburn romaji uses t: マッチ → matchi. This site also accepts macchi.
How to write it
- Write つ at about half size. In horizontal writing, tuck it into the lower left of its square.
- Size changes the word: かって (katte, as one pleases) ↔ かつて (katsute, formerly)
- When you compare your writing with the answer, check that your っ is clearly smaller than the other kana.
How you practice it here
- Sokuon has no sound on its own, so you practice it with short words.
- "っ words" are in hiragana and "ッ words" are in katakana. The word rows you pick are always included, whatever scripts are selected above.
- Some katakana words also have a long vowel (ー), e.g. サッカー (sakkā, soccer).