Japanese Pronunciation
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Learn Japanese Pronunciation
Before reading other articles, you should try to understand Japanese pronunciation. This is because all the Japanese texts are written in « romaji » (western alphabet) and not in the original Japanese system (the kanji, which are numerous and complex even for the advanced learners).
So here you’ll find a good way to learn pronunciation reading the text in romaji, and we will present the Japanese alphabets.
Proper pronunciation is crucial when learning the Japanese language, as it can greatly affect how well you communicate with native speakers, including pronouncing the names of Japanese boys and the names of Japanese girls correctly!
In Japanese, there are many sounds that do not exist in other languages, and getting the pronunciation right can make the difference between being understood and not being understood at all. Mispronouncing certain words could also cause confusion or offense, especially in a cultural context. Additionally, Japanese pronunciation can influence the meaning of words, as a slight change in intonation can alter the entire meaning of a sentence.
Therefore, it's important to spend time learning proper Japanese pronunciation, such as the difference between short and long vowels, the pitch accent, and the proper intonation of particles. With practice and dedication, you can improve your Japanese pronunciation, which will not only make you a more confident speaker, but also help you better understand and appreciate Japanese culture.
Japanese Pronunciation Tips and Alphabet
Aa = long « a »
Ii = long « i »
Ai = « Aï », like in samouraï.
But for words like Kawaii, you should pronunce : Ka wa ii (long i)
Ee = long « e »
Oo = long « o »
Ou = A « o » going down
Au = « Aou »
Ei = ey or like in « sake »
Oi = oï
J- = dj- (for ex : Ju = dju)
Sh- = like in « shoes »
Ch- = Tch- (for ex : Cho = Tcho)
-cch- = t’tch- (for ex : Icchi = it’tchi)
-kk = -k’k- (for ex : Hakkiri = Hak’kiri)
-pp- = -p’p- (for ex : teppen = tep’pen)
-ss- = -s’s- (for ex : massugu = mas’sugu)
-tt- = -t’t- (for ex : totte = tot’te)
There are 2 special cases :
If you might say « Watashi wa », you will write it « Watashi ha ».
The same way : you will say « niku ho taberu » but it will be written « niku wo taberu ».
There is three alphabet in Japan. The kanji, the hiragana and the katakana.
Here are the hiragana, which are used to write Japanese words (which may already have a kanji for it, or not)
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The katakana are mostly used to write foreign words, or Japanese words made up from a foreign word : for exemple : ƒP-ƒLwhich reads : Keeki, and is the Japanese English for « Cake ». Katakana are usually more difficult to learn than the hiragana.
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