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Pronunciation
だ(da): Pronounced as "dah" (like "da" in "dance"). だ is Hiragana and ダ is Katakana.
How to Pronounce Japanese [d]:
1. Tongue Position:
• The tongue should be placed near the roof of the mouth, just behind the upper teeth, but not touching the teeth directly. It’s a bit like the [t] sound, but the tongue is softer and relaxed when producing the [d].
• For [d], you use your vocal cords to create a vibrating sound. The sound is produced by releasing air through the mouth while the vocal cords vibrate.
2. Mouth Position:
• The mouth should be relaxed, and the tongue will lightly touch or come close to the roof of the mouth just behind the upper teeth.
• The lips should be relaxed, and the sound is created by the airflow being stopped and released by the tongue.
3. Sound:
• The [d] sound in Japanese is very similar to the English "d" sound, like in the word "dog" or "dare."
• The [d] sound in Japanese is soft and clear, especially compared to the hard, explosive "d" in some other languages.
A voiced d sound is followed by あ(a).
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Pronunciation
ぢ(ji): Pronounced as "jee" (like "ji" in "jeep"). ぢ is Hiragana and ヂ is Katakana.
This is pronounced the same as じ (ji) in most modern Japanese, though it is rare and primarily used in specific words or names.
How to Pronounce Japanese [j]:
1. Tongue Position:
• The [j] sound is voiced, meaning you use your vocal cords.
• For [j], the tongue should be positioned closer to the roof of the mouth (palate), near the back of the upper teeth. It’s almost like a “y” sound but voiced.
• The tongue should be placed close to the roof of the mouth but not touching it, allowing the air to flow through with a slight friction.
2. Mouth Position:
• Keep your mouth slightly open. Your tongue should be relaxed but high in the mouth, with the tip of your tongue near or touching the back of the upper teeth.
3. Sound:
• The [j] sound in Japanese is very similar to the English "j" sound in words like "jump" or "job." It is a voiced, palatal approximant sound, meaning the sound is produced by narrowing the space between the tongue and the roof of the mouth but without fully blocking the airflow.
The sound changes from a pure d to a j sound before い(i).
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Pronunciation
づ(zu): Pronounced as "zoo" (like "zu" in "zucchini"). づ is Hiragana and ヅ is Katakana.
This is pronounced the same as ず(zu) in modern Japanese, though it is rare and used in specific contexts.
How to Pronounce Japanese [z]:
1. Tongue Position:
• The [z] sound is voiced, meaning you use your vocal cords.
• Place the tip of your tongue against your upper teeth or just slightly behind them, creating a slight vibration when you push air through. Your tongue should be relaxed but in contact with your teeth.
2. Mouth Position:
• Keep your mouth slightly open and your vocal cords vibrating as you produce the sound.
• The air should pass through the small gap between your tongue and your teeth, creating the "buzzing" sound.
3. Sound:
• The [z] sound is a voiced, fricative sound, meaning the sound is made by the friction of air passing through a narrow gap. It’s like the "z" in the English words "zebra" or "zone."
The sound changes from a pure d to a z sound before う(u).
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Pronunciation
で(de): Pronounced as "deh" (like "de" in "desk"). で is Hiragana and デ is Katakana.
How to Pronounce Japanese [d]:
1. Tongue Position:
• The tongue should be placed near the roof of the mouth, just behind the upper teeth, but not touching the teeth directly. It’s a bit like the [t] sound, but the tongue is softer and relaxed when producing the [d].
• For [d], you use your vocal cords to create a vibrating sound. The sound is produced by releasing air through the mouth while the vocal cords vibrate.
2. Mouth Position:
• The mouth should be relaxed, and the tongue will lightly touch or come close to the roof of the mouth just behind the upper teeth.
• The lips should be relaxed, and the sound is created by the airflow being stopped and released by the tongue.
3. Sound:
• The [d] sound in Japanese is very similar to the English "d" sound, like in the word "dog" or "dare."
• The [d] sound in Japanese is soft and clear, especially compared to the hard, explosive "d" in some other languages.
A voiced d sound is followed by え(e).
No. | Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
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Pronunciation
ど(do): Pronounced as "doh" (like "do" in "donate"). ど is Hiragana and ド is Katakana.
How to Pronounce Japanese [d]:
1. Tongue Position:
• The tongue should be placed near the roof of the mouth, just behind the upper teeth, but not touching the teeth directly. It’s a bit like the [t] sound, but the tongue is softer and relaxed when producing the [d].
• For [d], you use your vocal cords to create a vibrating sound. The sound is produced by releasing air through the mouth while the vocal cords vibrate.
2. Mouth Position:
• The mouth should be relaxed, and the tongue will lightly touch or come close to the roof of the mouth just behind the upper teeth.
• The lips should be relaxed, and the sound is created by the airflow being stopped and released by the tongue.
3. Sound:
• The [d] sound in Japanese is very similar to the English "d" sound, like in the word "dog" or "dare."
• The [d] sound in Japanese is soft and clear, especially compared to the hard, explosive "d" in some other languages.
A voiced d sound is followed by お(o).
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