Kana, rhythm, and sound length
Hear the differences made by long vowels, small っ, and small ゃ・ゅ・ょ.
Count basic Japanese sound beats.
Hear the lesson phrases
Google voice when available; device voice as a fallback.
Read the audio transcript
これは何ですか。
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
Read each word aloud, then test your recall of its meaning.
| 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
Answer the questions and read the explanations. You can repeat the exercises.
Explain why pitch accent is not English stress.