The Hiragana character ば is read as "ba" in standard Hepburn romaji. It belongs to the ha-row as a voiced (dakuten) variant.

The katakana counterpart

ば has a katakana counterpart, バ — the same sound (ba), written in the other native script. Hiragana and katakana share the same phonological system; the choice between them is a stylistic and functional one.

Practise this character

You've read the details — now build the motor and recognition pathways. The quickest way is a short drill session focused on the row this character belongs to.

• Recognition drill — see the kana, pick the romaji.
• Recall drill — see the romaji, pick the kana.
• Writing practice — trace the stroke order on canvas.
• Typing drill — produce the kana from the keyboard.

Related reading

• The complete hiragana guide
• Full hiragana reference chart
• バ — the katakana counterpart