Description of the Japanese Pronunciation りゃ りゅ りょ
りゃ りゅ りょ consist of the Japanese consonant [ɾ j] representing the sounds of the roman letter /ry/ with the Japanese vowels [a], [u] and [o] respectively. When you pronounce [ɾ j], your tongue is going to touch from your upper gums to the roof of your mouth, i.e. from where you pronounce [ɾ] (=/r/) to where you pronounce [j] (=/y/). This closure will cause a buildup of pressure. Then, you will release that pressure all at once by opening your mouth. [ɾ j] is a voiced sound.
Does it make sense to you? Let's try to pronounce りゃ りゅ りょ after the tutor on the video!
Wasabi Japanese Pronunciation Lessons
Words Exercise with the Pronunciation [ɾj] りゃ りゅ りょ
Please repeat the following words after the tutor on the video.
| Words | Roman Letters | Meanings |
|---|---|---|
| りゃく | rya ku | abbreviation |
| しょうりゃく | syo u rya ku | omission |
| りゅう | ryu u | dragon |
| りゅうがくせい | ryu u ga ku se i | foreign student |
| りゅうこう | ryu u ko u | trend |
| りょこう | ryo ko u | travel |
| りょうきん | ryo u ki n | charge, rate, fare, fee, price, toll |
| りょうり | ryo u ri | cooking, dish |
| しゅうりょう | syu u ryo u | end |
| りょうほう | ryo u ho u | both |
Sentences Exercise with the Pronunciation [ɾj] りゃ りゅ りょ
Please repeat the following sentences after the tutor in the video.
| Japanese Sentences | English Translations |
|---|---|
| 龍と恐竜は似ています。 | Dragons and dinosaurs are alike. |
| もうすぐ留学が終了します。 | My study abroad will end soon. |
| 旅行の料金を払いました。 | I paid the travel fare. |
Tongue Twister Exercise with the Pronunciation [ɾj] りゃ りゅ りょ
Please repeat the following tongue twisters after the tutor on the video. Also, please focus on the pronunciation practice, not the meaning, because they were made only for the sake of practice.
| Japanese Tongue Twisters | Vocabulary |
|---|---|
|
そりゃそりゃそらそりゃそりゃそりゃそらそりゃ |
そりゃ、そら: a yell used to time or encourage activity (e.g. "Heave ho!", "On three ... One, two, three!" in English) |
|
いろいろ料理よりどり料理 |
いろいろ: various, 料理:cooking |
|
有料道路料金 |
有料道路: toll road, 料金: charge, rate, fare, fee, price, toll |
Conclusion
This is the how to pronounce [ɾ j] りゃ りゅ りょ. We recommend that you practice the sentences above at least 5 times for each exercise, though we understand that pronunciation practice can be dull. Good pronunciation will give you listening and speaking ability, and thereby you will be confident enough to speak Japanese with native speakers. Thus, the ability you gain is well worth the time spent. We are looking forward to seeing you in the next lesson; つ, ー, ん.