Another Day, Another Rant

How about I post a basic lesson in Japanese on the days I don't have anything to write about? Does this sound good? I think it does indeed.

First thing you must know:

SOUNDS

Japanese follows a consonant - vowel pattern without exception (or almost without exception). There are only 5 vowels and the pronunciation is set. Meaning if you see a certain character, it will ALWAYS be pronounced the same way. The slight exception is in Japanese slang, but that's an entirely different lesson. English is way different in that the "a" in say, father, and man are all pronounced differently. The consonants are all the same as well, with a couple exceptions. Please note that the "R" sound in Japanese is the same as an "L" sound and often doesn't sound like either English equivalent. The best two ways to learn it are by listening to it repetitively and keeping this in mind "Falalalala rararara" (to the tune of the Christmas song, Deck the Halls).

Basic Sounds

Vowels

あ　a - (ah) as in "father"
い　i - (ee) as in "key"
う　u - (oo) as in "flu", but a little more nasal
え　e - (eh) as in "say"
お　o - (oh) as in "no", but a little more nasal

Consonants
か　ka - (kah) as in "cot"
き　ki - (key) as in "key"
く　ku - (koo) as in "coo"
け　ke - (keh) as in "kettle"
こ　ko - (co/ko) as in "coke" or "cocoa"

さ　sa - (sah) as in "saliva"
し　shi - (shi) as in "she" or "sheet"
す　su - (sue) as in "sue" or "sew"
せ　se - (seh) as in "set"
そ　so - (soh) as in "so"

た　ta - (tah) as in "beta"
ち　chi - (chi) as in "cheese"
つ　tsu - (tsu) as in "tsunami"
て　te - (teh) as in "table"
と　to - (toh) as in "toe"

な　na - (nah) as in "arena"
に　ni - (nee) as in "knee"
ぬ　nu - (noo) as in "new"
ね　ne - (neh) as in "neigh", but a little more nasal
の　no - (no) as in "no"

は　ha - (hah) as in "hahahaha"
ひ　hi - (hee) as in "heed"
ふ　fu - (foo) as in "food", but a less sharp "f" sound. Form the "f" but puff air out and make the "u" sound
へ　he - (heh) as in "hehe" or "head"
ほ　ho - (hoh) as in "hoe"

ま　ma - (mah) as in "mama"
み　mi - (mee) as in "me"
む　mu - (moo) as in "moo"
め　me - (meh) as in "met"
も　mo - (moh) as in "ammo"

や　ya - (yah) as in "yawn" or the Germanic "ja"
ゆ　yu - (yoo) as in "you"
よ　yo - (yoh) as in "mayo"

ら　ra - (rah) as in "rot"
り　ri - (ree) as in "reed"
る　ru - (roo) as in "rue"
れ　re - (reh) as in "red"
ろ　ro - (roh) as in "row"

わ　wa - (wah) as in "water"
を　wo - (oh) as in "cold" but more nasal.


I find it funny that the example words were the hardest because I kept thinking of Japanese words with the sound. "ka...ka...muika? Dakara? Kana?" , "ne...ne...megane? Neko? Nezumi?"

These aren't all the sounds, but all the sounds I shall post in one sitting. Tomorrow, we should see the wonderful tenten and tiny ya, yu, yo and tsu.