Japanese Exceptional Sounds: How to Pronounce っ

Description of the Japanese Pronunciation っ,－, ん　

When you pronounce っ, you don’t make an actual sound, but wait for ‘one beat’ with the form of your mouth to pronounce the following sound. When you pronounce ―, you don’t make a new sound, but elongate the sound of the vowel before ― for ‘one beat’. When you pronounce ん, you need to make the sound of ん for ‘one beat’ to make the proper pronunciation. In order to master the concept of ‘one beat’, you will learn these sounds with a Japanese poetry form; Haiku

Haiku consists of three phrases having five, seven and five sounds respectively. Please repeat the following Haiku after the tutor on the video while being conscious of っ, ―, ん playing the role of one sound.

Japanese Double Consonant; っ

あの月つきを　取とってくれろと　泣なく子こかな　（小こ林ばやし一いっ茶さ）

月つき: moon, 取とる: to take, 泣なく: to cry, 子こ: child

秋あきの草くさ　まったく濡ぬれぬ　山やまの雨あめ　（飯いい田だ蛇だ笏こつ）

秋あき: autumn, 草くさ: grass, まったく; not... at all, 濡ぬれる: to get wet, 山やま: mountain

雪ゆきとけて　村むらいっぱいの　こどもかな　（小こ林ばやし一いっ茶さ）

雪ゆき: snow, とける: to melt, 村むら: village, いっぱい: be full of…

Japanese Macron; ー

春愁しゅんしゅうの　つーんと笹ささの　葉はが尖とがる　（藤ふじ木き清きよ子こ）

春愁しゅんしゅう: spring depression, 笹ささ: bamboo grass, 葉は: leave, 尖とがる: to get sharp

水みずさっと　抜ぬき手てついつい　つーいつい　（芥あくた川がわ龍りゅう之の介すけ）

水みず: water, 抜ぬき手て: overarm stoke, ついつい: unintentionally

ほーほけきょ　やっとおいでか　花はな見み鳥どり　（Wasabi）

ほーほけきょ: song [of birds], おいで: to come (honorific), 花はな見み鳥どり: Japanese bush warbler

Pronunciation; ん

閻王えんおうの　口くちや牡ぼ丹たんを　吐はかんとす　（与謝蕪よさぶ村そん）

閻王えんおう: the King of Hell, 口くち: mouth, 牡ぼ丹たん: purplish red, 吐はく: to vomit

朝市あさいちに　磯いそもの多おおし　神かん無な月づき　（水原みずはら秋しゅう桜おう子し）

朝市あさいち: morning market, 磯いそもの: sea snails, 神かん無な月づき: October

青あお蛙がえる　お前まえもペンキ　塗ぬり立たてか　（芥あくた川がわ龍りゅう之の介すけ）

青あお蛙がえる: frog, ペンキ: [house] paint, 塗ぬる to paint

*Please focus on the pronunciation practice, not the meaning. () shows its author.

Wasabi Japanese Pronunciation Lessons

Words Exercise with the Pronunciation っ,－, ん

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

Words	Roman Letters	Meanings
みっつ	mi ttsu	three
ざっし	za sshi	magazine
りっぱ	ri ppa	wonderful
せっけん	se kke n	soap
プール	pû ru	pool
クリーム	ku rî mu	cream
ケーキ	kê ki	cake
スープ	sû pu	soup
べんり	be n ri	useful, convenient
かんじ	ka n ji	kanji (Chinese character)

Conclusion

This is the how to pronounce っ, ー, ん. 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.

Japanese Exceptional Sounds: How to Pronounce っ－ん