Basic Sounds Flashcards
あ
a - あい (ai) - ‘ah-ee’ (love)
Open your mouth wide, place the tongue low, and say “ah” (like in “car”).
い
i - いぬ (inu) - ‘ee-noo’ (dog)
Smile slightly, tongue touches the bottom of upper teeth, say “ee” (like in “see”).
う
u - うみ (umi) - ‘oo-mee’ (sea)
Lips are rounded but not as much as English “oo”, say “oo” (like in “food”, but unrounded).
え
e - えき (eki) - ‘eh-kee’ (station)
Keep the mouth half-open, tongue slightly raised, say “eh” (like in “bet”).
お
o - おかね (okane) - ‘oh-kah-neh’ (money)
Lips are rounded, but not as strong as English “oh”, say “oh” (like in “go”).
か
ka - かさ (kasa) - ‘kah-sah’ (umbrella)
Hard “k” sound, like “car”.
き
ki - きた (kita) - ‘kee-tah’ (north)
“Key” but shorter and sharper.
く
ku - くるま (kuruma) - ‘koo-roo-mah’ (car)
Like “coo”, but without lip rounding.
け
ke - けしごむ (keshigomu) - ‘keh-shee-goh-mu’ (eraser)
Like “kettle”, but without diphthong.
こ
ko - ことば (kotoba) - ‘koh-toh-bah’ (word)
Like “coat”, but shorter and without rounding.
さ
sa - さくら (sakura) - ‘sah-koo-rah’ (cherry blossom)
Like “salsa”, clear “s” sound.
し
shi - しろ (shiro) - ‘shee-roh’ (white)
Similar to “she”, but the tongue is flatter.
す
su - すし (sushi) - ‘soo-shee’ (sushi)
Like “sue”, but no rounding of lips.
せ
se - せんせい (sensei) - ‘sehn-seh-ee’ (teacher)
Like “set”, no diphthong.
そ
so - そら (sora) - ‘soh-rah’ (sky)
Like “soap”, but no w-like glide.
た
ta - たべる (taberu) - ‘tah-beh-roo’ (to eat)
Like “top”, but softer.
ち
chi - ちいさい (chiisai) - ‘chee-ee-sigh’ (small)
Like “cheese”, softer ch sound.
つ
tsu - つき (tsuki) - ‘tsoo-kee’ (moon)
Like “tsunami”, a “t” followed by “s”.
て
te - てがみ (tegami) - ‘teh-gah-mee’ (letter)
Like “ten”, no aspiration.
と
to - ともだち (tomodachi) - ‘toh-moh-dah-chee’ (friend)
Like “toe”, but shorter and sharper.
な
na - なつ (natsu) - ‘nah-tsoo’ (summer)
Like “nacho”, nasal sound.
に
ni - にほん (Nihon) - ‘nee-hon’ (Japan)
Like “canyon”, soft “ny” sound.
ぬ
nu - ぬいぐるみ (nuigurumi) - ‘noo-ee-goo-roo-mee’ (stuffed toy)
Like “new”, no lip rounding.
ね
ne - ねこ (neko) - ‘neh-koh’ (cat)
Like “net”, short and clear.
の
no - のみもの (nomimono) - ‘noh-mee-moh-noh’ (drink)
Like “no”, but no diphthong.
は
ha - はな (hana) - ‘hah-nah’ (flower)
Soft “h” like “haha”.
ひ
hi - ひこうき (hikouki) - ‘hee-koh-kee’ (airplane)
Similar to German “ich”, like a breathy “hee”.
ふ
fu - ふじさん (Fujisan) - ‘foo-jee-sahn’ (Mt. Fuji)
Not “fu”! Use both lips, like blowing out a candle.
へ
he - へや (heya) - ‘heh-yah’ (room)
Like “hey”, but shorter.
ほ
ho - ほし (hoshi) - ‘hoh-shee’ (star)
Like “hot”, soft h.
ま
ma - まど (mado) - ‘mah-doh’ (window)
Like “mama”.
み
mi - みず (mizu) - ‘mee-zoo’ (water)
Like “meet”.
む
mu - むし (mushi) - ‘moo-shee’ (insect)
Like “moo”, but no lip rounding.
め
me - めがね (megane) - ‘meh-gah-neh’ (glasses)
Like “medal”.
も
mo - もも (momo) - ‘moh-moh’ (peach)
Like “more”, but shorter.
や
ya - やま (yama) - ‘yah-mah’ (mountain)
Like “yard”.
ゆ
yu - ゆめ (yume) - ‘yoo-meh’ (dream)
Like “you”.
よ
yo - ようふく (youfuku) - ‘yoh-foo-koo’ (clothes)
Like “yo-yo”.
ら
ra - らいおん (raion) - ‘rah-ee-on’ (lion)
Like Spanish “pero”.
り
ri - りんご (ringo) - ‘reen-goh’ (apple)
Soft “ree”, not “lee”.
る
ru - るす (rusu) - ‘roo-soo’ (absence)
Flap “r”, not “roo”.
れ
re - れきし (rekishi) - ‘reh-kee-shee’ (history)
Like Spanish “re”.
ろ
ro - ろうそく (rousoku) - ‘roh-soh-koo’ (candle)
Short “r”, like “lotto”.
わ
wa - わたし (watashi) - ‘wah-tah-shee’ (I, me)
Like “wa” in “water”.
を
wo - を (wo) - ‘oh’ (used in grammar, rarely pronounced ‘wo’)
Like “o” in “or”, rarely pronounced “wo”.
ん
n - ほん (hon) - ‘hohn’ (book)
Nasal “n”, varies by context.
