Japanese Pronunciation Rules.
Vowels-: Five vowel sounds are used in the Japanese language:
- A as in father
- I as in unique
- U as in rude
- E as in yet
- O as in hope
Consonants
Consonants are pronounced the same as in English, with the following exceptions:
- G is always hard as in go
- R is halfway between the English R and D sounding like L. Make the sound by saying r while placing the tip of your tongue on the spot between your teeth and the roof of your mouth.
Double consonants are both pronounced, as are double vowels
Vowels are frequently muted after a soft consonant. Examples:
Mokuso > mok’so
Desuka > des’ka
The pronunciation of some consonants changes when combining words:
Keri > mae-geri
Tachi > zenkutsui-dachi
Sai > nicho-zai