How to test hiragana pronounciation?

[fimble]

I have a Japanese textbook and it says to start with hiragana so that is what I am doing. Some of them, especially the ones starting with R are hard to pronounce. I can't tell if I am pronouncing them correctly.

I tried recording myself and comparing it to a recording I found online but I can't comprehend the difference except in terms of English phonemes so I am still not sure I am doing it correctly.

If I learn the incorrect pronunciation I might never be able to speak correctly. How do I make sure that doesn't happen?

 

[Mike Cash]

In my case getting laughed at provided the necessary impetus to learn the R.

If you're making the sound in your throat, as in English, you're doing it wrong. You have to use the tip of your tongue in a manner very similar to the L sound in English.

 

[fimble]

Yes, I might be able to do it but I don't know how to tell whether my attempts are correct.

 

[Mike Cash]

Find something to listen to, then mimic it.

Don't you think you should start freaking out about intonation about now? It's never too early to stop yourself dead in your tracks by worrying over every little thing, you know.

 

[Glenn]

It's a lot more like the "t"s in "butter" and the "d"s in "ladder" than it is the English "r". If it's at the beginning of a word/sentence, start with the tip of your tongue on the lump of gums behind your top front teeth and proceed from there. That's probably about all you need to know about it. Now it's just a matter of getting it to sound like authentic Japanese pronunciation.