How can I practice Japanese pronunciation on my own

To practice Japanese pronunciation on your own effectively, you can use several approaches:

1. Use voice visualization software or apps that show you visual feedback on your pronunciation compared to native speakers. This helps you identify and correct specific sounds by seeing pitch, intonation, and mouth movements. ¹

2. Record yourself reading Japanese aloud and compare your pronunciation to model recordings. Video or audio recording allows you to self-assess and track improvement over time. ²

3. Study mouth and tongue movements for Japanese sounds using computer graphic animations or video tutorials, then imitate them closely. Visualizing how sounds are formed can significantly improve accuracy. ^{3, 4}

4. Practice reading aloud with ondoku (reading aloud practice method) where you listen to a native speaker, imitate, and then record yourself to correct errors. ²

5. Use language learning materials that focus on pitch accent and intonation, since these are crucial in Japanese pronunciation. ^{5, 6}

6. Listen extensively to native Japanese speech in contexts such as movies, podcasts, and conversations to internalize natural rhythm and pronunciation. ⁷

By combining audio-visual feedback, self-recording, and targeted practice on pitch, mouth movements, and rhythm, you can significantly enhance your Japanese pronunciation even when practicing alone.

References

• Research on Teaching Reform of Japanese Pronunciation Based on Voice Visualization Softwarem Taking Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute as an Example

• Computer-mediated instruction using ondoku practice for developing elementary school students’ pronunciation skills

• English Pronunciation Practice Method with CG Animations Representing Mouth and Tongue Movements

• Effects of Pronunciation Practice System Based on Personalized CG Animations of Mouth Movement Model

• The Utilization of the “Tsutaeru Hatsuon” Online Media in Learning Japanese Accents and Intonations

• Formation of the skill of perception of pitch accent at the initial stage of learning the Japanese language

• Reflective Practice on Movie Scene Performances: Exploring Our Teacher Efficacy

• An Instructional Design to Improve English Pronunciation for Japanese University Students

• Practice of ‘personalised writing’ activities in Japanese beginners classes

• A dialogue-based CALL system for Japanese conversation

• The vitalistic conception of salvation as expressed in Sūkyō Mahikari

• Policy for developing clinical practice guidelines of Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy

• Nihongo Speech Trainer: A Pronunciation Training System for Japanese Sounds

• JSUT corpus: free large-scale Japanese speech corpus for end-to-end speech synthesis

• Sustanaible Methods of Improving Kanji Learning Skills for Japanese Language Learners at Basic Level at FPT University

• Japanese Accent Pronunciation Error by Japanese Learners in Elementary and Intermediate Level

• Powerful and Effective Pronunciation Instruction: How Can We Achieve It?

• Reading Tutor, A Reading Support System for Japanese Language Learners

• Improving Japanese English pronunciation with speech recognition and feed-back system

• Lexical Category and Downstep in Japanese

• LANGUAGE LEARNING DESIGN FOR PRONUNCIATION INSTRUCTION: LISTEN-AND-READ METHOD

• Using Video to Improve Pronunciation of The Second Years Students of FKI UIR Pekanbaru

• Japanese Native Speakers’ Perception on Learners’ Pronunciation of Double Consonant Sounds in Japanese Adverbs (Fukushi)

• Computer-assisted Pronunciation Training — Speech synthesis is almost all you need

• Story-based CALL for Japanese Kanji Characters: A Study on Student Learning Motivation

• Development of Speaking Skills Teaching Materials for Japanese Students in Diponegoro State University and Semarang State University