LEARN JAPANESE WITH PIMSLEUR

How to read Japanese? Does the pronunciation and speech change? basic rules

Nihongo

Per Kevin

Those who study Japanese should know that its sounds do not change like in Portuguese, which is filled with accents or the crazy changes of S with the sound of Z, etc. However, in reality, Japanese does have changes in the reading or pronunciation of phonemes depending on the occasion. It is not exactly known if these are rules or merely Japanese custom, since there is no stress in Japanese.

In this article we are not going to talk about the peculiarities or rules of the Japanese language, such as the pronunciation of each hiragana or anything like that. Therefore, we recommend having basic knowledge of Hiragana, Katakana and their pronunciation. Let's just talk about tips and how to read and pronounce phonemes in Japanese everyday life. We recorded a video explaining and giving examples of how to read some words that you can see below:

The video doesn't have much explanation, it only includes examples. The audio isn't good, but we have already changed the microphone for other videos. Besides the video, I think it's good to highlight some points related to Japanese pronunciation that can help you when conversing or reading. For this, we recommend the article particularities of the Japanese language.

Reading and Pronunciation Rules Checklist

  • Each syllable has the same length and strength;
  • The vowel is lengthened when: aa / ei / ii / oo / ou / uu;
  • The sound of u is often short;
  • There are differences in accent, region, dialects, etc;
  • Two consonants together prolong the sound of the previous vowel along with it (っ);

Although it is a bit complicated to follow these rules, remember that much of this was a natural adaptation in speech; some things you will only be able to get used to pronouncing like a Japanese person through living together. Don’t expect to speak like them right away, considering that even they have difficulty with 英語.

Read other articles related to pronunciation: 

Meaning and Definition: kei
Information about the Anime: Project Sekai Movie: Kowareta Sekai to Utaenai Miku