Japanese Sounds and Pronunciation

あえい

う おGenki Textbook page 24

Three types of writing

私　は　カナダ　に　行きます。Watashi wa kanada ni ikimasu.

1. Kanji2. Hiragana3. Katakana

*Romaji

Kanji 　漢字

• Chinese or native-Japanese origin• used for whole words • used for parts of words such as verbs

中国 行きます勉強します

日本練習

Hiragana 　ひらがな• 48 characters• phonetic syllabary• used for Japanese words with no kanji• used for grammar such as prepositions,

verb conjugations

こんにちは話しますから

Katakana 　カタカナ• 48 characters• phonetic syllabary• used for foreign words • used to show emphasis ie onomatopoeia

ジュースオーストラリア

ピカピカ

Romaji 　ローマ字

• roman alphabet used to show the pronunciation of Japanese words• used for learners of Japanese only

benkyō go-shujin

Igirisu-jin

Pronunciation 　はつおん

• 5 main vowels (short and long)

• Similar to: Ah, we soon get old.

SHORT SOUNDS LONG SOUNDS

a あ ā ああ

i い ii or ī いい

u う ū うう

e え ē or ei ええ　えい

o お ō おう　おお

Hiragana Chart

Genki Textbook front cover

Hiragana – basic sounds

Mnemonics from: http://www.canyouchopstick.com/2011/01/katakana-mnemonic/Animations from: 　 http://japaneselanguageculturefood.com/japanese-language-katakana.htm 

Genki workbook pg 117-121

• Genki workbook pg 117 – Practice writing as we go!

A あAn antenna is up on the

roof. あ as in ‘up on the

roof’.

I いThere are two eels.

い as in ‘eels’.

U うOoo! This is heavy!

う as in ‘Ooo!’

E えI have to exercise.

え as in ‘exercise’.

O おA golf ball is on the

green. お as in ‘on the

green’.

＊ NOTE: 　 Handwritten 　Print

KA かA kite is flying in the

sky. か as in ‘kite’.

KI きI have a key.

き as in ‘key’.

KU くHere comes a cuckoo

bird.く as in ‘cuckoo’.

KE けA keg of beer. け as in ‘keg’.

KOこAn apple core. こ as in ‘core’.

• Genki workbook pg 117II and III - Can you write the words?

＊ NOTE: 　 Handwritten 　Print

• Genki workbook pg 118 – Practice writing as we go!

SA さI love sake!

さ as in ‘sake’.

SHI 　しShe has a ponytail.

し as in ‘she’.

SU 　すThe pigs tail will soon

fall off. す as in ‘soon’.

SE 　せSensei’s hat.

せ as in ‘sensei’.

SO　そZig-zag sewing.

そ as in ‘sewing’.

TA たA letter ‘t’ and ‘a’ make

ta. た as in ‘ta’.

CHI 　ちShe’s a cheerleader.

ち as in ‘cheerleader’.

TSU つTsunami is a tidal wave.

つ as in ‘tsunami’.

TE 　てThe dog is wagging his

tail.て as in ‘tail’.

TO 　と Ouch! A nail is in my

toe. と as in ‘toe’.

• Genki workbook pg 118II and III - Can you write the words?

• Genki workbook pg 119 – Practice writing as we go!

NA　なA nun is kneeling in front of the cross.

な as in ‘nun’.

NI 　にA needle and thread.

に as in ‘needle’.

NU 　ぬThe egg fell out of the bowl with noodles and

chopsticks. ぬ as in ‘noodles’.

NEねI caught a big fish in

my net. ね as in ‘net’.

NO 　のDo not enter!

の as in ‘not’.

HA　はI live in a house.

は as in ‘house’.

HI ひHe is on the wall.

ひ as in ‘he’.

FU ふI climbed Mt Fuji. ふ as in ‘Fuji’.

HE 　へThere is a haystack. へ as in ‘haystack’.

HO 　ほA house becomes a

home with a satellite. ほ as in ‘home’.

• Genki workbook pg 119II and III - Can you write the words?

• Genki workbook pg 120 – Practice writing as we go!

MA 　まMum loves music. ま as in ‘mum’.

MI 　みWho’s 21? Me! み as in ‘me’.

MU 　むMoo-moo cow.

む as in ‘moo’.

ME 　めChopsticks and noodles

without any mess.め as in ‘mess’.

MO 　もThe more worms, the more

fish.

も as in ‘more’.

YA やYay, I’m on a yacht.

や as in ‘yay’.

YU 　ゆMake a U-turn.

ゆ as in ‘U-turn’.

YO 　よYoga is hard.

よ as in ‘yoga’.

• Genki workbook pg 120II and III - Can you write the words?

＊ NOTE: 　 Handwritten 　Print

• Genki workbook pg 121 – Practice writing as we go!

RA 　らI love steamy ramen

noodles. ら as in ‘ramen’.

RI 　りA pretty ribbon.

り as in ‘ribbon’.

RU　るCatch a kangaroo with

a loop in the rope.る as in ‘kangaroo’.

RE 　れReady, set, go. Let’s

race!

れ as in ‘Ready’.

RO　ろNo loop in the rope. The kangaroo got

away! ろ as in ‘rope’.

WA 　わWow! A magic wand.

わ as in ‘Wow’.

O をOh! A cheerleader is

on my toe. を as in ‘oh!’.

N んThe letter ‘n’ in end.

ん as in ‘end’.

• Genki workbook pg 121II and III - Can you write the words?

• ん　‘ n’ 　 is the only independent sound• nasal sound• When ‘n’ is followed by b, m, p the ‘n’

sound is more like ‘m’

nan-ban なんばん

べんきょうbenkyō

Dropping soundsThe ‘u’ sound at the end of verbs is often dropped:

です desu = des ＿ ございます gozaimasu = gozaimas ＿

When pronouncing ‘shite’ the ‘i’ sound is often dropped:

はじめまして　 hajimemashite = hajimemash ＿ te

しつれい shitsurei = sh ＿ tsurei

Particles – Hiragana changes

wa

o

e

は　（ not わ )

を　（ not お）

へ　（ not え）

Particles are grammatical markers and are put before or after Japanese words to make a sentence. Eg. In romaji particles are written on their own separate from other words.

Ie. Watashi wa kōen e ikimasu.

Hiragana – other soundsTen ten and maru

Combined sounds

Tenten and Maru

＊ NOTE 　じ　ず mostly used

ぢ　づ　rarely used

Combined soundsThe hiragana line ending in ‘i’ sound can be combined with small ：• ‘ya’ 　や• ‘yu’ 　ゆ• ‘yo’ 　よ

These create combined soundsand represent 1 syllable.

Compare these sounds:

きや vs きゃしゆ　 vs 　　　しゅちよ vs 　 ちょ

big smallbig big

ひや

bigsmall

• Genki textbook pg 290 A-D (Basic sounds revision)• Genki textbook pg 291 E-F(Listening)

• Workbook pg 122

Hiragana – other soundsSmall ‘tsu’ and Long sounds

Long soundsā

ii or ī

ū

ei or ē

ō

kyā, kyū, kyō

ああ

いい

うう

ええ　 OR 　えい

おう　 OR 　おお (less common)

きゃあ、きゅう、きょう　etc

• four double consonants - kk, pp, ss, and tt • in hiragana they are represented by a small tsu

っ • double consonants indicate a small pause so the

mouth can prepare for the pronunciation of the next syllablekekkon

massugu

kippu

まっすぐ

けっこんきっぷ

Pause sound (small tsu つ )

kk

pp

ss

tt

けっこん　 kekkon (marriage)

きっぷ kippu (tickets)

まっすぐ massugu (go straight)

きって kitte (ticket)

• Genki textbook pg 292 G-H

• Workbook pg 123