Kana, rhythm, and sound length
Hear the differences made by long vowels, small っ, and small ゃ・ゅ・ょ.
What you’ll work on
- Count basic Japanese sound beats
- Keep long vowels and doubled consonants distinct
- Explain why pitch accent is not English stress
A short conversation
Google voice when available; device voice as a fallback. Kana readings help you read the written words; they do not show pitch accent.
How the words match
Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.
- これkorethis
- はwatopic markerPronounced wa. Marks what the sentence is about; it does not mean “is”.
- なんですnandesuwhat is it何 is read nan before です.
- か。kaquestion markerMakes the sentence a question; English often changes its word order instead.
How the words match
Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.
- きってkittepostage stamp
- です。desupolite statement endingAdds a polite style. English may use “is”, “am”, or “are”, or leave it unexpressed.
How the words match
Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.
- きって、kittekitte: postage stamp
- ですdesupolite statement endingAdds a polite style. English may use “is”, “am”, or “are”, or leave it unexpressed.
- ね。neseeking agreementInvites the listener to agree.
How the words match
Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.
- はい、haiyes
- きってkittepostage stamp
- です。desupolite statement endingAdds a polite style. English may use “is”, “am”, or “are”, or leave it unexpressed.
Count morae: short sound beats
Japanese rhythm is organized around morae, useful practice beats. か is one beat. The final ん in ほん adds a beat, and the small っ in きって occupies a beat before the following consonant. Do not add an English vowel to っ.
A long vowel takes two beats: おばさん has four, while おばあさん has five. Small ゃ, ゅ, and ょ combine with the preceding kana: きゃ is one beat, unlike きや, which is two. Real speech is not a mechanical metronome, but counting helps you hear contrasts.
How the words match
Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.
- おばさんobasanaunt / middle-aged woman
How the words match
Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.
- おばあさんobaasangrandmother / elderly womanThe long aa distinguishes this word from おばさん.
How the words match
Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.
- きってkittepostage stampSmall っ is a consonant hold before the t sound.
Spelling and pitch both matter
Katakana often marks a long vowel with ー, as in コーヒー. Hiragana often writes a long o sound with a following う, as in ありがとう. Keep the spelling shown; do not shorten a vowel because English spelling would.
Standard Japanese uses pitch accent, patterns of relative high and low pitch across a word. It is different from Mandarin syllable tones and from English stress. Accent can vary by region and word form. Listen to reliable recordings; this course does not assign unverified accent numbers.
How the words match
Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.
- コーヒーkoohiicoffeeThe long-vowel marks extend the preceding vowels.
How the words match
Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.
- きょうkyoutoday
How the words match
Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.
- ほんhonbook
Lesson vocabulary
Listen once, say it aloud, and try to recall the Japanese before looking.
| Japanese / reading | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|
| 切手 きって | postage stamp | |
| 本 ほん | book | |
| 今日 きょう | today | |
| おばさん おばさん | aunt / middle-aged woman | |
| おばあさん おばあさん | grandmother / elderly woman | |
| はい はい | yes |
Practice questions
Try every question, then check your answers. Punctuation and spacing do not affect your score. Use the displayed Japanese spelling or the complete kana reading; mixed spellings are accepted only when explicitly listed. Long vowels, small kana, and verb endings matter.
Showing an answer makes that question a practice item worth zero for this attempt. Retry with the answers hidden when you’re ready. If audio cannot play, use Show answer / text to practice by reading.
Independent practice
These are independent practice tasks. The site does not record your voice, save your writing, or grade open-ended answers. Ask a teacher or conversation partner for feedback when you can.
Speaking practice
Say おばさん and おばあさん slowly, tapping once per beat. Then listen to and repeat きって without inserting a vowel at っ.
Writing practice
Write きゃ and きや on separate lines. Mark one beat under the first and two under the second.
Review the lesson objectives
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