Japanese pronunciation is comparatively easy to master. There are hardly any sounds in Japanese that don’t exist in English. Also, Japanese is not a tonal language like Chinese or Thai.
The simplest way to describe the pronunciation is to use English pronunciation for the consonants and Italian for the vowels with a few exceptions. Find examples for all the basic kana below. These are approximations to the correct pronunciation.
The "h" in ひ (hi) is a little more throaty, and the "h" of ふ (fu/hu) is pronounced more like an "f".
The "r" sound lies somewhere between an "l" and a "d". The tip of the tongue touches the palate briefly.
The "w" sound is different from the English "w". The correct way of pronouncing it is by putting your lower lip against your upper teeth and releasing it at the beginning of the sound.
The n’ is pronounced as "ny" when it’s followed by the hiragana え (e):
If the "n" is followed by a "k"-, or "g"-syllable, the "ng" and "nk" sounds are pronounced as in English:
If the "n" is followed by a "b"-, "p"-, or "m"-syllable, the "n" is pronounced as an "m":
The small "tsu" (っ) is pronounced as a small pause or an extended consonant in the case of s-syllable:
The "n"- and "m"-syllables are extended by placing the hiragana ん in front of it:
し (shi), す (su), ち (chi), つ (tsu), ひ (hi), and ふ (fu)
This includes occasions where a word ends on one of the above syllables, and the next word starts with a voiceless consonant.
In です (desu) and …ます (-masu) the "u" is silent.
To speak (言う)
The verb 言う (iu), meaning to speak or to say, is pronounced as "yuu". Also in contractions with the ren’youkei 言 is pronounced as "yu": 言って (yutte), 言った (yutta), 言ったり (yuttari) and 言ったら (yuttara). In all other cases, the normal "i" pronunciation is kept.
The simplest way to describe the pronunciation is to use English pronunciation for the consonants and Italian for the vowels with a few exceptions. Find examples for all the basic kana below. These are approximations to the correct pronunciation.
| あ(a) | as in America | - | - |
| い(i) | as in image | - | - |
| う(u) | as in put | - | - |
| え(e) | as in ever | - | - |
| お(o) | as in ork | - | - |
| か(ka) | as in car | さ(sa) | as in son |
| き(ki) | as in keep | し(shi) | as in she |
| く(ku) | as in Kubrick | す(su) | as in super |
| け(ke) | as in kelp | せ(se) | as in set |
| こ(ko) | as in corn | そ(so) | as in Sony |
| た(ta) | as in tar | な(na) | as in gnarl |
| ち(chi) | as in cheap | に(ni) | as in niece |
| つ(tsu) | as in tsunami | ぬ(nu) | as in numerous |
| て(te) | as in temp | ね(ne) | as in net |
| と(to) | as in torn | の(no) | as in norm |
| は(ha) | as in hard | ま(ma) | as in market |
| ひ(hi) | as in he | み(mi) | as in me |
| ふ(fu) | as in who | む(mu) | as in mousse |
| へ(he) | as in heavy | め(me) | as in met |
| ほ(ho) | as in horn | も(mo) | as in more |
| や(ya) | as in yard | ら(ra) | as in large |
| - | - | り(ri) | as in leak |
| ゆ(yu) | as in universe | る(ru) | as in loose |
| - | - | れ(re) | as in left |
| よ(yo) | as in York | ろ(ro) | as in lord |
| わ(wa) | as in what | ん | as in kin |
| を (wo) | as in ork | - | - |
The "h" in ひ (hi) is a little more throaty, and the "h" of ふ (fu/hu) is pronounced more like an "f".
The "r" sound lies somewhere between an "l" and a "d". The tip of the tongue touches the palate briefly.
The "w" sound is different from the English "w". The correct way of pronouncing it is by putting your lower lip against your upper teeth and releasing it at the beginning of the sound.
The n’ is pronounced as "ny" when it’s followed by the hiragana え (e):
| きんえん | 禁煙 | kin'en = kinyen | no smoking |
| せんえん | 千円 | sen'en = senyen | one thousand yen |
| かんおん | 漢音 | kan'on | a reading of a kanji |
| げんいん | 原因 | gen'in | a cause |
If the "n" is followed by a "k"-, or "g"-syllable, the "ng" and "nk" sounds are pronounced as in English:
| まんが | 漫画 | manga | a comic strip |
| いんかん | 印鑑 | inkan | a seal |
| げんご | 言語 | gengo | language |
If the "n" is followed by a "b"-, "p"-, or "m"-syllable, the "n" is pronounced as an "m":
| さんぽ | 散歩 | sanpo = sampo | a walk / a stroll |
| はんばい | 販売 | hanbai = hambai | sale / marketing |
| よんまい | 四枚 | yonmai = yommai | 4 sheets |
The small tsu (っ) and long consonants:
The small "tsu" (っ) is pronounced as a small pause or an extended consonant in the case of s-syllable:
| すっきり | - | sukkiri = su_kiri | refreshed feeling |
| むっつ | 六つ | muttsu = mu_tsu | six |
| けっする | 決する | kessuru | to decide |
The "n"- and "m"-syllables are extended by placing the hiragana ん in front of it:
| こんな | - | konna | like this |
| さんまい | 三枚 | sanmai = sammai | 3 sheets |
Particles:
The "w" in を (wo) is silent, and when used as particles, は (ha) is pronounced as "wa", and へ (he) as "e".Silent vowels:
In the following hiragana the "i" and "u" are silent when followed by a voiceless consonant:し (shi), す (su), ち (chi), つ (tsu), ひ (hi), and ふ (fu)
This includes occasions where a word ends on one of the above syllables, and the next word starts with a voiceless consonant.
| した | 下 | shita = shta | below |
| すてき | 素敵 | suteki = steki | cool |
| ちから | 力 | chikara = chkara | power |
| ふとん | 布団 | futon = fton | a futon |
Polite forms:
[/SIZE]In です (desu) and …ます (-masu) the "u" is silent.
To speak (言う)
The verb 言う (iu), meaning to speak or to say, is pronounced as "yuu". Also in contractions with the ren’youkei 言 is pronounced as "yu": 言って (yutte), 言った (yutta), 言ったり (yuttari) and 言ったら (yuttara). In all other cases, the normal "i" pronunciation is kept.
| 言う | いう | iu = yuu | to speak / to say / to tell |
| 言って | いって | itte = yutte | (please) tell me. |
| 言った | いった | itta = yutta | I told him. |
| 言ったり | いったり | ittari = yuttari | to speak (and such) |
| 言ったら | いったら | ittara = yuttara | if you say it |
| 言います | いいます | iimasu | to speak / to say / to tell |
| 言える | いえる | ieru | I can speak. |
| 言えば | いえば | ieba | if you say it |
| 言わない | いわない | iwanai | he doesn't speak |
