Pronunciation

た(ta): Pronounced as "tah" (like "ta" in "taco"). た is Hiragana and タ is Katakana.

Pronunciation of Japanese [t]:

1. Tongue Position:

• The tongue is placed against the upper teeth or the alveolar ridge (the ridge just behind the upper front teeth). This position is similar to the [t] sound in English, but in Japanese, the tongue is often a bit softer and lighter.

2. Airflow:

• The sound is produced by stopping the air at the point where the tongue touches the roof of the mouth, and then releasing it quickly.

3. Voiceless Sound:

• The [t] sound is voiceless in Japanese, meaning it is produced without the vibration of the vocal cords (like the English [t] in "top").

4. Mouth Position:

• Your lips are relaxed and slightly apart, and the tongue lightly touches the upper part of your mouth, in front of your teeth.

Start with a soft t sound followed by あ(a).

Pronunciation

When た(ta) is inside a word, Japanese [t] is usually not aspirated.

Start with a soft t sound followed by あ(a).

た is Hiragana and タ is Katakana.

Pronunciation

ち(chi): Pronounced as "chee" (like "cheese"). ち is Hiragana and チ is Katakana.

Pronunciation of Japanese [ch]:

1. Tongue Position:

• The tongue is placed near the hard palate of the mouth (the roof of the mouth) and slightly behind the alveolar ridge (the ridge just behind the upper front teeth).

• The tip of the tongue touches the roof of the mouth but not hard; it's a bit more relaxed compared to the English [ch] sound.

2. Airflow:

• This is an affricate sound, meaning it begins as a stop (blocking airflow with the tongue) and is followed by a release (allowing the air to flow through).

• When you release the air, it should come through the front of your mouth with a sharp "ch" sound.

3. Voiceless:

• The Japanese [ch] is voiceless, meaning it is pronounced without vibrating the vocal cords (like the English [ch] in "church").

4. Mouth Position:

• Relax your lips slightly apart and position the tongue against the roof of the mouth, near the hard palate. The air is briefly stopped, then released with the sound.

This is an exception where the t sound changes to "ch" before い(i).

Pronunciation

When ち(chi) is inside a word, Japanese [ch] is usually not aspirated.

Start with a soft ch sound followed by い(i).

ち is Hiragana and チ is Katakana.

Pronunciation

つ(tsu): Pronounced as "tsoo" (like "tsunami"). つ is Hiragana and ツ is Katakana.

Pronunciation of Japanese [ts]:

1. Tongue Position:

• The tongue is positioned similarly to the [t] sound at the alveolar ridge (just behind the upper front teeth).

• The [s] part of the sound involves the tongue slightly touching the alveolar ridge or the roof of the mouth further back, creating the hissing quality.

2. Airflow:

• For the [t] sound: The tongue blocks the airflow briefly at the roof of the mouth, similar to the English [t] sound in "stop."

• For the [s] sound: The tongue should not block airflow completely. Instead, the air flows through the narrow gap between the tongue and the roof of the mouth, creating a hissing sound.

3. [ts] as a Cluster:

• The [ts] sound is a combination of both sounds, so you need to release the tongue for the [t] and follow with the [s] quickly in succession.

• The [ts] sound in Japanese is a single consonant sound rather than a combination of two separate sounds, as in English.

4. Mouth Position:

• Keep your lips relaxed and slightly apart.

• The tongue should be positioned quickly to pronounce both the [t] and [s] sounds in one smooth action, without a pause between them.

This is another exception where the t sound combines with s before う(u).

Pronunciation

When つ(tsu) is inside a word, Japanese [ts] is usually not aspirated.

Start with a soft ts sound followed by う(u).

Pronunciation

て(te): Pronounced as "teh" (like "ten"). て is Hiragana and テ is Katakana.

Pronunciation of Japanese [t]:

1. Tongue Position:

• The tongue is placed against the upper teeth or the alveolar ridge (the ridge just behind the upper front teeth). This position is similar to the [t] sound in English, but in Japanese, the tongue is often a bit softer and lighter.

2. Airflow:

• The sound is produced by stopping the air at the point where the tongue touches the roof of the mouth, and then releasing it quickly.

3. Voiceless Sound:

• The [t] sound is voiceless in Japanese, meaning it is produced without the vibration of the vocal cords (like the English [t] in "top").

4. Mouth Position:

• Your lips are relaxed and slightly apart, and the tongue lightly touches the upper part of your mouth, in front of your teeth.

A soft t sound followed by え(e).

Pronunciation

When て(te) is inside a word, Japanese [t] is usually not aspirated.

Start with a soft t sound followed by え(e).

て is Hiragana and テ is Katakana.

Pronunciation

と(to): Pronounced as "toh" (like "toe"). と is Hiragana and ト is Katakana.

Pronunciation of Japanese [t]:

1. Tongue Position:

• The tongue is placed against the upper teeth or the alveolar ridge (the ridge just behind the upper front teeth). This position is similar to the [t] sound in English, but in Japanese, the tongue is often a bit softer and lighter.

2. Airflow:

• The sound is produced by stopping the air at the point where the tongue touches the roof of the mouth, and then releasing it quickly.

3. Voiceless Sound:

• The [t] sound is voiceless in Japanese, meaning it is produced without the vibration of the vocal cords (like the English [t] in "top").

4. Mouth Position:

• Your lips are relaxed and slightly apart, and the tongue lightly touches the upper part of your mouth, in front of your teeth.

A soft t sound followed by お(o).

Pronunciation

When と(to) is inside a word, Japanese [t] is usually not aspirated.

Start with a soft t sound followed by お(o).

と is Hiragana and ト is Katakana.