Lesson Goal
In this lesson, you will learn the basic rules of Japanese pronunciation.
Vowels
Understand the five basic Japanese vowel sounds.
Long Sounds
Learn how long vowels change pronunciation.
Small Pause
Understand double consonants with small っ and ッ.
Japanese R
Practice the light Japanese R sound.
Confidence
Feel more confident speaking Japanese out loud.
Why Pronunciation Is Important
Good pronunciation helps people understand you.
You do not need perfect pronunciation. However, clear pronunciation is important for daily communication.
Good news
Japanese pronunciation is usually regular and clear. Once you learn the basic sounds, you can read many words correctly.
Most Important Idea
You do not need to speak fast. For beginners, clear sounds are more important than speed.
The Five Basic Japanese Vowels
Japanese has five basic vowel sounds.
Practice the Vowels
Practice slowly first. Then say the sounds smoothly.
Slow practice:
あ い う え お
a i u e o
Smooth practice:
あいうえお
a i u e o
Japanese Vowels Are Short and Clear
In Japanese, vowel sounds are usually short and clear.
Try not to make the vowels too long unless there is a long vowel or long vowel mark.
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Japanese Sounds Are Usually Simple
Most Japanese sounds are made from a consonant plus a vowel.
K Row
か き く け こ
ka ki ku ke ko
S Row
さ し す せ そ
sa shi su se so
Important Sounds: し, ち, つ, ふ
Some Japanese sounds are a little different from simple romaji spelling.
shi
し is shi, not si.
chi
ち is chi, not ti.
tsu
つ is tsu, not tu.
fu
ふ is a soft fu sound.
Long Vowels
Long vowels are very important in Japanese. A long vowel means you hold the vowel sound a little longer.
Short
おばさん (obasan)
aunt / middle-aged woman
Long
おばあさん (obaasan)
grandmother
Short
ここ (koko)
here
Long
こうこう (kookoo)
high school
Long Vowels in Hiragana
In hiragana, long vowels can be written in different ways.
Long Vowels in Katakana
In katakana, long vowels are usually written with this mark: ー
Double Consonants: Small っ and ッ
Japanese has double consonants. They are written with a small っ in hiragana or small ッ in katakana.
Hiragana
Katakana
This creates a short pause before the next sound.
The small っ is not pronounced like “tsu.” It makes a small stop.
Compare: With and Without Small っ
The small pause is important. Practice each pair slowly.
The Japanese R Sound
The Japanese R sound is different from English R and L. It is a light sound made by touching the tongue near the top of the mouth.
ra ri ru re ro
The N Sound: ん and ン
The sound ん is important. In katakana, it is written ン.
Japanese Rhythm
Japanese words have a steady rhythm. Each sound is usually short and clear.
wa / ta / shi
ko / n / ni / chi / wa
a / ri / ga / too
Clap or tap once for each sound. Rhythm helps pronunciation.
Pitch Accent
Japanese does not use strong stress like English. Japanese usually has a more even rhythm.
For beginners
You do not need to master pitch accent at first. Focus on clear vowels, short and long sounds, double consonants, and speaking slowly.
Common Pronunciation Mistakes
Making vowels too strong
Japanese vowels are clear but not too strong. Try to speak smoothly.
Ignoring long vowels
Long vowels can change meaning. Practice おばさん and おばあさん.
Forgetting the small っ pause
Practice pairs like きて and きって.
Saying Japanese R like English R
The Japanese R is lighter than English R. Practice ら, り, る, れ, ろ slowly.
Speaking too fast
Beginners should speak slowly and clearly. Slow Japanese is okay.
Not using your voice
Reading silently is not enough. Say the sounds and phrases out loud.
Useful Phrases for Pronunciation Practice
Practice these useful beginner phrases slowly first. Then practice at a natural speed.
Practice: Choose the Correct Sound
Q1. How do you read し?
A. si
B. shi
C. su
Answer:
Q2. How do you read ち?
A. chi
B. ti
C. ki
Answer:
Q3. How do you read つ?
A. tu
B. su
C. tsu
Answer:
Q4. How do you read ふ?
A. fu
B. hu only
C. bu
Answer:
Practice: Find the Long Vowel
Which words have a long vowel? Write Yes or No.
Practice: Find the Small っ or ッ
Circle or mark the small っ or ッ. Then say each word with a small pause.
Practice: Compare the Words
Read each pair aloud. Try to hear and say the difference.
Speaking Practice
Read these sounds aloud.
あ い う え お
し ち つ ふ
ら り る れ ろ
ん
Now read these words aloud.
すし
ちかてつ
つき
ふじさん
さくら
くるま
にほん
コンビニ
コーヒー
がっこう
Now read these phrases aloud.
こんにちは。
ありがとうございます。
すみません。
わかりません。
もう一度お願いします。
ゆっくりお願いします。
5-Minute Pronunciation Routine
Use this short routine every day.
Mini Mission
Today’s mission is to record your voice saying three Japanese phrases.
Choose three phrases:
こんにちは。
ありがとうございます。
すみません。
わかりません。
もう一度お願いします。
ゆっくりお願いします。
Phrase 1: ＿＿＿＿＿＿
Phrase 2: ＿＿＿＿＿＿
Phrase 3: ＿＿＿＿＿＿
I recorded my voice: □
I listened to my pronunciation: □
I practiced again: □
You do not need to sound perfect. The goal is to practice clearly.
Review
In this lesson, you learned the basics of Japanese pronunciation.