A katakana question?

Question

so im teaching myself japanese (i have hiragana and katakana memorized) but ive seen a dash thing in katakana like the last character in this name http://japanesetranslator.co.uk/your-name-in-japanese/?forename=summer&style=1

it seems that its there whenever theres a double vowel like samaa (summer) and im wondering if i have to use it or if it would still be correct to just write the double vowel...

Answer 1

Okay, it's not a dash, its a chouon. It means vowel extender. 長音 is it's kanji, which literally means, "long vowel."

サマー doesn't translate as "Samaa"

サマア is Samaa.  

The chouon just means to extend the last vowel longer.  The extra A in the second one means you now have two As to pronounce.

1. Sah-maa

2. Sah-Mah-Ah

Answer 2

I've never seen it written without the dash unless they're spelling a Japanese word like Kawaii in Japanese. But if it's a word like a loan word or name, I've always seen the dash used.

I have a Japanese friend named Riisa and though her name is Hiragana, she likes the Katakana version better.

Example: Riisa りいさ (Hiragana), リイサ (Katakana)

Also a lot of actors/actresses named Yu/Yuu spell their name like Yuu is Hiragana and Katakana: ゆう/ユウ. So if it's not a loan word or foreign name, you use the dash. If it's just an alternative spelling for a Japanese word in Katakana, you don't have to.

Answer 3

its used to prolong the vowel that comes at the end ( i.e. sou desu ka~--the ka is stretched out is a question anyways, it just used for expression ). You might want to dab around in romanji before you start with katakana. Good job with Hiragana though!

Answer 4

The stressed vowel in katakana is written using the "dash thing".  Using double vowels, while it is common and accepted when writing in romaji, it is not correct to use it in katakana.  

So for example;

coffee

correct: コーヒー

incorrect: コオヒイ (koohii)

Hope that helps!