Japanese Consonants: How to Pronounce は へ ほ

Japanese letters は へ ほ

Description of the Japanese Pronunciation は へ ほ

Picture describing Japanese pronunciation [h]

は・へ・ほ consist of the Japanese consonant [h] with the Japanese vowels [a] [e] and [o] respectively. When you pronounce [h], open your mouth in the shape of following vowels, and put air through your glottis. Please note that [h] is a fricative sound which is different from vowels. If you have made [h] sound correctly, you can feel the air coming from your glottis when you place your hand in front of your mouth. [h] is an unvoiced sound.

Does it make sense to you? Let's try to pronounce は へ ほ after the tutor on the video!

Wasabi Japanese Pronunciation Lessons

Words Exercise with the Pronunciation [h] は へ ほ

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

Words Roman Letters Meanings
はは ha ha mother
はる ha ru spring
はがき ha ga ki postcard
はんぶん ha n bu n half
へた he ta poor, bad
へん he n strange
へび he bi snake
ほん ho n book
ほか ho ka other
ほんとう ho n to u reality

Sentences Exercise with the Pronunciation [h] は へ ほ

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

Japanese Sentences English Translations
としはるはやました。 This year, spring came early.
このほん半分はんぶんみました。 I read half of this book.
はははがきをおくります。 I will send a picture postcard to my mother.

Tongue Twister Exercise with the Pronunciation [h] は へ ほ

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

ふとははふととうをはふはふべる

はは: mother, ふとい: thick, とう: food’s name, べる: to eat

おや嘉兵衛かへえ嘉兵衛かへえおやかへいかへい、かへいおやかへい。

 おや: parent, 嘉兵衛かへえ: person’s name : child

ホホホとほほげてほほえむ。

ホホホ: sound of laughing, ほほ: cheek, げる: to raise, ほほえむ: to smile

Conclusion

This is the how to pronounce [h] は へ ほ. 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; [ç] ひ.

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