Pronunciation tips for common travel phrases in Japanese
Essential Japanese Phrases for Navigating Japan: Pronunciation tips for common travel phrases in Japanese
Here are pronunciation tips for common travel phrases in Japanese along with the phrases themselves:
- Hello: こんにちは (Konnichiwa) — Pronounced “Koh-nee-chee-wah”
- Thank you: ありがとうございます (Arigatou gozaimasu) — Pronounced “Ah-ree-gah-toh goh-zai-mass”
- Please: おねがいします (Onegaishimasu) — Pronounced “Oh-neh-gai-shee-mass”
- Excuse me / Sorry: すみません (Sumimasen) — Pronounced “Soo-mee-mah-sen”
- Yes: はい (Hai) — Pronounced “High”
- No: いいえ (Iie) — Pronounced “Ee-eh”
- Where is ?: __ はどこですか？ (_ wa doko desu ka?) — Pronounced ”___ wah doh-koh dess kah?”
- I want to go to : __ に行きたいです (_ ni ikitai desu) — Pronounced ”___ nee ee-kee-tie dess”
- Stop, please: 止めてください (Tomete kudasai) — Pronounced “Toh-meh-teh koo-dah-sigh”
- How much is this?: これはいくらですか？ (Kore wa ikura desu ka?) — Pronounced “Koh-reh wah ee-koo-rah dess kah?”
Pronunciation tips:
- Break down words into syllables and pronounce each clearly.
- The “r” sound in Japanese is softer than in English, resembling a mix between “r” and “l.”
- Vowels are pronounced clearly and consistently: “a” as in “father,” “i” as in “machine,” “u” as in “flute,” “e” as in “bet,” “o” as in “hope.”
- Polite endings like “desu” are often pronounced softly, sometimes sounding like “dess.”
- Practice phrases slowly at first, then increase speed while maintaining clarity.
These phrases and tips are a good starting point for travel in Japan to communicate politely and effectively.