Small Kana

Small や, ゆ and よ

A small や, ゆ or よ joins onto the kana before it, and you say the two together as one sound with one beat.

きゃ is kya, not ki-ya. You will see it in words like きゃく, a guest, and しゃしん, a photo.

Small っ

A small っ isn't read out loud. It holds the sound that comes after it for one extra beat.

That beat can change the word. きて means come, and きって means stamp. さか means hill, and さっか means writer.

English does the same thing in the middle of bookkeeper.