Japanese Consonants: How to Pronounce ば び ぶ べ ぼ, ぱ ぴ ぷ ぺ ぽ

Japanese Letters ba line, pa line

Description of the Japanese Pronunciation ば び ぶ べ ぼ, ぱ ぴ ぷ ぺ ぽ

Picture describing Japanese pronunciation [b] [p]
Photo quoted from www.city.nanto.toyama.jp

ば び ぶ べ ぼ and ぱ ぴ ぷ ぺ ぽ consist of the Japanese consonants [b] and [p] together with the Japanese vowels [a], [i], [u], [e] and [o] respectively. When you pronounce [b] and [p], you are going to completely close your lips. This closure will cause a buildup of pressure. Then, you will release that pressure all at once by opening your lips. [b] is a voiced sound and [p] is an unvoiced sound.

Does it make sense to you? Let's try to pronounce ば び ぶ べ ぼ and ぱ ぴ ぷ ぺ ぽ after the tutor on the video!

Wasabi Japanese Pronunciation Lessons

Words Exercise with the Pronunciation [b] [p] ば び ぶ べ ぼ, ぱ ぴ ぷ ぺ ぽ

Please repeat the following words after the tutor on the video.

Words Roman Letters Meanings
ばん ba n evening
りっぱ ri ppa wonderful
かびん ka bi n  (flower) vase
えんぴつ  e n pi tsu  pencil
ぶんしょう bu n sho u  sentence
きっぷ  ki ppu  ticket
べんきょう be n kyo u  study
かんぺき ka n pe ki  perfect
ぼうし bo u shi  cap, hat
さんぽ sa n po  walk

Sentences Exercise with the Pronunciation [b] [p] ば び ぶ べ ぼ, ぱ ぴ ぷ ぺ ぽ

Please repeat the following sentences after the tutor in the video.

Japanese Sentences English Translations
鉛筆えんぴつ使つかってべんきょうします。 I will study using a pencil
このぶんしょう完璧かんぺきです。 This sentence is perfect.
ぼうかぶってさんします。 I will take a walk with a cap.

Tongue Twister Exercise with the Pronunciation [b] [p] ば び ぶ べ ぼ, ぱ ぴ ぷ ぺ ぽ

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

武具馬具ぶぐばぐぶぐばぐぶぐばぐ、わせて武具馬具六ぶぐばぐむぶぐばぐ

武具ぶぐ: arms, 馬具ばぐ: harness

狸百たぬきひゃっぴき はしひゃくぜん 天目てんもくひゃっぱい ぼうはっぴゃくぼん

たぬき: raccoon dog, はし: chopsticks, 天目てんもく: tea bowl’s name, ぼう: stick

ぼん豆盆米盆まめぼんごめぼんごぼう、ぼん豆盆米盆まめぼんごめぼんごぼう

ぼん: Japanese Buddhist custom’s name, まえ: bean, ごめ: rice, ごぼう: burdock

Conclusion

This is the how to pronounce [b] [p] ば び ぶ べ ぼ and ぱ ぴ ぷ ぺ ぽ. 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; [m] ま み む め も.

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