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Japanese Pronunciation
14 students

Japanese Pronunciation

Sounds, rhythm, pitch accent and intonation in the Japanese language
Created byMiyabi Nowzari
Last updated 7/2025
English

What you'll learn

  • Being able to pronounce Japanese accurately
  • Being able to pay attention to pitch accent
  • Being able to understand Japanese sounds
  • Being able to speak with more native-like Japanese

Course content

6 sections • 12 lectures • 1h 35m total length

  • Introduction3:57

    This is the introduction for the course. The video includes the overview of the course and the purpose of the course.

Requirements

  • Japanese language learners who can read Hiragana

Description

This course focuses on a key yet often-overlooked aspect of learning Japanese—pronunciation. While many Japanese language courses emphasize grammar, reading, and writing, accurate pronunciation is equally important. It not only helps learners speak more clearly and sound more natural but also improves listening comprehension and the ability to understand spoken Japanese in real-life situations.

This course is designed for all learners of Japanese, including novice learners who know only some Hiragana. It offers a clear and accessible introduction to how Japanese is actually spoken by native speakers, which may differ from how it appears in written form.

The course is divided into four sections:

  • Sound – how each syllable is pronounced, common pronunciation challenges, and variations in natural speech;

  • Rhythm – the concept of mora, a key unit of sound in Japanese, and how Japanese rhythm differs from English;

  • Pitch Accent – how pitch patterns distinguish words and meaning units, and an overview of the four basic pitch patterns found in native speech;

  • Intonation – how it functions at the sentence level and differs from pitch accent.

This course is designed as a long-term resource learners can return to as they continue their Japanese studies. Developing pronunciation awareness early supports more confident and effective communication in Japanese.

Who this course is for:

  • Japanese language learners of any level who know Hiragana (used throughout the video to explain sounds)
  • Japanese language learners who want to improve their listening and speaking skills

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