Here’s the katakana bonus: because it spells foreign loanwords, you can already understand most of them on sight. Sound them out and the meaning pops right out.
Understand this — tap “Hear it”
コーヒー を のみます
I drink coffee.
コーヒー koohii — coffeeを o — (object)のみます nomimasu — drink
terebi を みます
I watch TV.
テレビ terebi — TVを o — (object)みます mimasu — watch
ケーキ を たべます
I eat cake.
ケーキ keeki — cakeを o — (object)たべます tabemasu — eat
The pattern you can now use
___ を のみます / みます / たべます
___ o nomimasu / mimasu / tabemasu
I drink / watch / eat ___.
Katakana spells foreign words, so you can read most on sight — sound them out and you already know them. New verb: みます = watch / see.
Words to use today — tap a row to hear
コーヒーkoohii
coffee
terebiterebi
TV
ケーキkeeki
cake
biirubiiru
beer
アイスaisu
ice cream
panpan
bread
タクシーtakushii
taxi
みますmimasu
watch / see
Your turn — say it, then check
Say: “I watch TV.”
terebi を みますterebi o mimasu
Say: “I drink beer.”
biiru を のみますbiiru o nomimasu
Say: “I eat ice cream.”
アイス を たべますaisu o tabemasu
Quick check
Why can you read most katakana words already?
they’re borrowed from English — same sounds
What does みます mean?
watch / see
⤷ Kana side-quest — ~2 min · tap to hear, watch the strokes
👀 Today’s input · ~5 min — where fluency actually comes from
Train your ears
You can’t read much yet — so listen. Put on one “Complete Beginner” video from Comprehensible Japanese: all visual, all Japanese, zero English. You’ll understand more than you’d expect, and this is where real fluency actually comes from — a little every day.