{"id":27090,"date":"2021-03-31T15:00:49","date_gmt":"2021-03-31T15:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/?p=27090"},"modified":"2023-11-13T14:39:02","modified_gmt":"2023-11-13T14:39:02","slug":"double-consonants-and-long-vowels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/blog\/double-consonants-and-long-vowels\/","title":{"rendered":"Double consonants and long vowels in Japanese pronunciation"},"content":{"rendered":"

As a beginner Japanese learner, it can be hard sometimes to get all the different pronunciation rules right. Especially challenging for beginner learners is the double consonant and long vs short vowels, which – when pronounced wrong – can completely change the meaning of words.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So how do you know when words in Japanese are using double consonants or long vowels? Read on to find out.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sokuon <\/b>\u4fc3\u97f3 (double consonants)<\/b><\/h2>\n

Sokuon<\/span><\/i> involves the use of a small \u201ctsu, \u3064\u201d to double a consonant in a word. Called gemination in phonetics, this results in a clipped sound, or slight pause, when pronouncing the word in Japanese. It\u2019s not the easiest pronunciation point to get at first, but you will get the hang of it the more familiar you become with the language.<\/span><\/p>\n

When writing in romaji, you use a double consonant, while in kana you will use the small \u201ctsu\u201d (<\/span>\u3063<\/span> for hiragana and <\/span>\u30c3 for katakana) in place of the repeated consonant.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some examples of words that have sokuon:<\/span><\/p>\n

Nippon
\n<\/i><\/b>\u65e5\u672c (\u306b\u3063\u307d\u3093)
\n<\/b>Japan<\/span><\/p>\n

Yukkuri<\/i><\/b>
\n<\/b>\u3086\u3063\u304f\u308a
\n<\/b>Slowly<\/span><\/p>\n

Yappari
\n<\/i><\/b>\u77e2\u3063\u5f35\u308a(\u3084\u3063\u3071\u308a)
\n<\/b>As expected, likewise, nonetheless, still<\/span><\/p>\n

Kitte
\n<\/i><\/b>\u5207\u624b (\u304d\u3063\u3066)
\n<\/b>Postage stamp<\/span><\/p>\n

Zasshi
\n<\/i><\/b>\u96d1\u8a8c (\u3056\u3063\u3057)
\n<\/b>Magazine<\/span><\/p>\n

Itta
\n<\/i><\/b>\u884c\u3063\u305f (\u3044\u3063\u305f)
\n<\/b>Went
\n<\/span>*For comparison, <\/span>ita<\/span><\/i> \u677f, which means board or plank, or <\/span>ita <\/span><\/i>\u75db, meaning \u201couch!\u201d are pronounced without the double consonant.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nisshi
\n<\/i><\/b>\u65e5\u8a8c (\u306b\u3063\u3057)
\n<\/b>Journal, log
\n<\/span>*Compared with <\/span>nishi<\/span><\/i> \u897f, which means west<\/span><\/p>\n

Kappu
\n<\/i><\/b>\u30ab\u30c3\u30d7
\n<\/b>Cup<\/span><\/p>\n

Sakkaa
\n<\/b>\u30b5\u30c3\u30ab\u30fc
\n<\/b>Soccer<\/span><\/p>\n

Chouon <\/b>\u9577\u97f3 (long vowels)<\/b><\/h2>\n

These are words that have long sounds, resulting in a lengthened pronunciation in Japanese.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When writing, there are some rules that come into play:<\/span><\/p>\n

Long vowels ending in a \u3042, i \u3044, u \u3046 are written with an extra vowel of the same sound. For example, long vowels ending in \u3042 add on an extra \u3042.
\n<\/span>\u2192 E.g. <\/span>okaasan <\/i><\/b>\u304a\u6bcd\u3055\u3093\u30fb\u304a\u304b\u3042\u3055\u3093<\/i><\/b>(mother).<\/span><\/p>\n

Long e <\/span>\u3048 sounds are followed by an extra \u3044 or \u3048.
\n<\/span>\u2192 For example, <\/span>eiga<\/i><\/b> \u6620\u753b<\/b>\u00a0\u30fb\u3048\u3044\u304c(movie) or <\/span>oneesan <\/i><\/b>\u304a\u59c9\u3055\u3093\u30fb\u304a\u306d\u3048\u3055\u3093\u00a0<\/b>(older sister).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Long vowels ending in o <\/span>\u304a are followed by an extra \u3046.
\n<\/span>\u2192 For example, <\/span>ohayou<\/i><\/b> \u304a\u306f\u3088\u3046<\/b> (good morning).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

An exception to this is some words are written with a double <\/span>\u304a, such as in <\/span>ooki <\/i><\/b>\u5927\u304d\u30fb\u304a\u304a\u304d<\/i><\/b>\u00a0(big).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sometimes you might see the extra vowel omitted and instead, the word will be written with a macron over the long vowel. For example: ok\u0101san, ohay\u014d. There is no real rule around that and much of it comes down to preference.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In katakana, the long vowel is represented by a dash instead. For example: <\/span>koohii<\/i><\/b> \u30b3\u30fc\u30d2\u30fc <\/b>(coffee), <\/span>suupaa<\/i><\/b> \u30b9\u30fc\u30d1\u30fc <\/b>(supermarket).<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to know that there are many words that look the same, where the only difference is that one has a long vowel and the other doesn\u2019t. Using the wrong pronunciation can change the meaning of a word entirely.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some examples:<\/span><\/p>\n

Obasan<\/i><\/b> \u304a\u3070\u3055\u3093<\/b> (aunt) vs <\/span>obaasan<\/i><\/b> \u304a\u3070\u3042\u3055\u3093<\/b> (grandmother)<\/span><\/p>\n

Ningyo<\/i><\/b> \u306b\u3093\u304e\u3087 <\/b>(mermaid) vs <\/span>ningyou<\/i><\/b> \u306b\u3093\u304e\u3087\u3046<\/b> (doll)<\/span><\/p>\n

Biru<\/i><\/b> \u30d3\u30eb<\/b> (multi-storey building) vs <\/span>biiru<\/i><\/b> \u30d3\u30fc\u30eb <\/b>(beer)<\/span><\/p>\n

Kado <\/i><\/b>\u304b\u3069 <\/b>(corner) vs <\/span>kaado<\/i><\/b> \u30ab\u30fc\u30c9<\/b> (card)<\/span><\/p>\n

Kutsu<\/i><\/b> \u304f\u3064<\/b> (shoes) vs <\/span>kutsuu<\/i><\/b> \u304f\u3064\u3046<\/b> (pain, agony)<\/span><\/p>\n