Tips for Learning Japanese Pronunciation

Learning a second language can be fun, but many language students lack exposure to their chosen language outside of the classroom. Japanese, in particular, can be challenging because Americans don’t often hear Japanese spoken on a regular basis the way they often hear Spanish, for example. When I first started studying Japanese, I could pronounce the words individually, but I had no idea about the intonation and inflection of the words when speaking in complete sentences. Here are some tips for mastering Japanese pronunciation.

Throw English Out the Window

Romaji, transliterated Japanese, is a guide to help you know how to pronounce Japanese, but it is in no way 100% equivalent to the actual pronunciation. For example, “R” syllables (ra, ri, ru, re, ro) are not pronounced with the hard “r” sound, such as in the word, “railroad”. The Japanese “r” sound is actually somewhere between “r” and “l”, hence Japanese people often confusing these sounds when speaking English. Even a thrilled Spanish “r” sound is closer to Japanese than the English hard “r” sound. When you begin studying Japanese, use romaji as a guide, but listen to your instructor to learn the true pronunciation of sounds.

Watch Movies

Movies are great because you can hear people speaking at a natural pace and not slowly, the way a language teacher might. Spoken Japanese is relatively monotone, but knowing which syllables to stress is important. For example “ikura (イクラ)” meaning “salmon roe” has the stress on the first syllable and “ikura ( 幾ら) meaning “how much?” has the stress on the second syllable. Knowing which syllables to stress, when to raise youｒ pitch, and when to pause will help you sound as close to the native speakers as possible.

Listen to Music

Romanized lyrics to Japanese songs can be found online and singing along can be a great way to practice pronunciation, although Japanese songs can be tricky because words are often broken up in strange places and the syllables of the words are stressed in places that go with the melody, not the way they would be spoken in real life. For example, the word “nan (何)” when spoken is one syllable and is pronounced like the English word “non. But in songs, the second “n” sound is often emphasized and it becomes a two-syllable word that sounds like “na-n”. The more songs you sing, the more you will get used to the word flow in Japanese music.

Speak!

No matter how long you study a language, you will never be fluent if you don’t actually try to use the language. At first I was very shy about speaking to Japanese people because I wasn’t fluent, but then I thought, what good is learning this language if I’m not going to speak to people? Working in cafes in New York City, I often encountered Japanese customers, so I started speaking to them in Japanese. Of course they were surprised to see an American speaking their language and even a few words made them feel welcomed. Many became regular customers and looked for me when I was not in the cafe.

Get a Conversation Partner

Again, the more you speak, the better your pronunciation will get. Having a conversation partner is a great way to get practice listening and speaking. It also gives you a chance to hear a voice other than your instructor. You can find a conversation partner in various ways. Meetup and Conversation Exchange are great websites for finding language partners to speak with. Having a language exchange partner can be more comfortable than speaking in a classroom setting because you don’t have several other people listening to you and you don’t feel pressure to give a right answer. Your conversation partner is also trying to master English, so you are in the same boat, which can make you more at ease. Having a language partner also helps you learn how people speak when not in a formal setting.

In addition to language practice, having a conversation partner also gives you insight into Japanese culture. You can ask questions about Japan and Japanese culture and learn things that would never be taught in the classroom. Having a conversation partner is a great way to learn language and make new friends. What it all comes down to is that the more you expose yourself to a language, the better you will get!

Sources: Personal experience