[How to Pronounce French and Japanese]116

French and Japanese are two of the most widely spoken languages in the world, with over 300 million and 128 million native speakers, respectively. While both languages are beautiful and expressive, they can be notoriously difficult to pronounce for non-native speakers.

In this article, we will provide a comprehensive guide to pronouncing French and Japanese, covering everything from basic sounds to complex consonant clusters. We will also provide tips for practicing your pronunciation and improving your fluency.

French Pronunciation

French pronunciation is generally considered to be more difficult than English pronunciation, due to the presence of nasal vowels and the use of liaisons. However, with a little practice, it is possible to master the basics of French pronunciation.

Vowels

French has 12 vowel sounds, which are represented by the following letters:
a: as in "cat"
e: as in "bed"
é: as in "fate"
è: as in "fête"
i: as in "machine"
o: as in "note"
ô: as in "côte"
u: as in "flute"
eu: as in "peu"
ain: as in "pain"
oin: as in "soin"
un: as in "brun"

Nasal vowels are produced by allowing air to flow through the nose while speaking. Nasal vowels are indicated by a tilde (~) over the vowel.

Consonants

French has 17 consonant sounds, which are represented by the following letters:
b: as in "ball"
c: as in "cat" before a, o, u, or consonants; as in "city" before e or i
d: as in "dog"
f: as in "fish"
g: as in "go" before a, o, u, or consonants; as in "gem" before e or i
h: silent
j: as in "jump"
k: as in "kite"
l: as in "lamp"
m: as in "mouse"
n: as in "nose"
p: as in "pot"
r: rolled
s: as in "sun" before a, o, u, or consonants; as in "city" before e or i
t: as in "top"
v: as in "vase"
w: as in "water"
x: as in "box"
y: as in "yes"
z: as in "zebra"

Liaisons are the linking of two words that end and begin with a vowel sound. Liaisons are not always pronounced, but they can be helpful for improving your pronunciation and making your speech more fluent.

Japanese Pronunciation

Japanese pronunciation is generally considered to be easier than French pronunciation, but there are some unique features that can be challenging for non-native speakers.

Vowels

Japanese has five vowel sounds, which are represented by the following letters:
a: as in "cat"
e: as in "bed"
i: as in "machine"
o: as in "note"
u: as in "flute"

Japanese vowels are always pronounced short and clear.

Consonants

Japanese has 18 consonant sounds, which are represented by the following letters:
b: as in "ball"
c: as in "cat"
d: as in "dog"
f: as in "fish"
g: as in "go"
h: as in "hat"
j: as in "jump"
k: as in "kite"
l: as in "lamp"
m: as in "mouse"
n: as in "nose"
p: as in "pot"
r: as in "rabbit"
s: as in "sun"
t: as in "top"
v: as in "vase"
w: as in "water"
y: as in "yes"
z: as in "zebra"