Japanese Pronunciation Tutorial16

Japanese is a beautiful and complex language with a unique sound system. While some Japanese sounds are similar to English sounds, others can be quite different. This tutorial will help you master Japanese pronunciation so that you can speak the language with confidence.

Vowels

Japanese has five vowels: a, i, u, e, and o. These vowels are pronounced similarly to their English counterparts, but there are a few key differences.
a is pronounced like the "a" in "father."
i is pronounced like the "ee" in "feet."
u is pronounced like the "oo" in "boot."
e is pronounced like the "e" in "bed."
o is pronounced like the "o" in "cone."

It is important to note that Japanese vowels are always pronounced clearly and distinctly. There is no diphthongization or slurring of vowels in Japanese.

Consonants

Japanese has 19 consonants: k, g, s, z, t, d, n, h, f, b, p, m, y, r, w, j, ch, sh, and ts.

The following table shows how these consonants are pronounced:

Consonant
Pronunciation


k
Like the "k" in "cat."


g
Like the "g" in "go."


s
Like the "s" in "sun."


z
Like the "z" in "zoo."


t
Like the "t" in "top."


d
Like the "d" in "dog."


n
Like the "n" in "nose."


h
Like the "h" in "hat."


f
Like the "f" in "fish."


b
Like the "b" in "ball."


p
Like the "p" in "pot."


m
Like the "m" in "mom."


y
Like the "y" in "yes."


r
Like the "r" in "red."


w
Like the "w" in "wet."


j
Like the "j" in "jump."


ch
Like the "ch" in "church."


sh
Like the "sh" in "ship."


ts
Like the "ts" in "tsunami."

It is important to note that Japanese consonants are always pronounced clearly and distinctly. There is no aspiration or devoicing of consonants in Japanese.

Syllables

Japanese syllables are always open, meaning that they end in a vowel sound. There are no closed syllables in Japanese.

Japanese syllables are also moraic, meaning that they have a fixed weight or duration. Each syllable in Japanese takes up one mora, regardless of its length or complexity.

Stress

Japanese words are not stressed in the same way that English words are. Instead, Japanese words have a pitch accent, which means that the pitch of the voice rises and falls on certain syllables.

The pitch accent of a Japanese word can vary depending on the word's meaning, grammar, and context. However, there are some general rules that can help you to learn the correct pitch accent for most words.

Practice

The best way to improve your Japanese pronunciation is to practice regularly. You can practice speaking Japanese with a native speaker, or you can use online resources such as videos, audio files, and interactive exercises.

With practice, you will be able to master Japanese pronunciation and speak the language with confidence.

2025-01-03

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