How to Pronounce Japanese Names

Last Updated: August 10, 2021

Japanese pronunciation is fairly simple. It's not nearly as hard as you think it would be. The vowels only have one way to pronounce them and the rest is like standard English.

Steps

1
A is pronounced like the "a" in carp. (Fact: Koi carp is a fish popular in Japan.)
2
I is pronounced like a long "e". Like in eat. (Eat that! I can speak Japanese properly!)
3
U is pronounced as "oo", it sounds like the "u" in super. (Japanese is a super language!)
4
E is said like the first "e" in everybody. (Everybody can remember this)
5
O is said as "o". However, it's very staccato. Think of it like you're about to say "Oh! This is easy!!" but get cut off in the middle of Oh.
6
Elongated vowels are important but are simple. If you see the same vowel twice in a row, then you have to make it longer(This is the difference between saying aunt[Obasan], and grandma[Obaasan] As well as uncle[Ojisan], and grandpa[Ojiisan]. If it's two different vowels, then you pronounce them both.
7
R is complicated. It's a mix between an English L, D, and R. It's almost flipped. Try watching this video. [1]
8
F is very airy. It's somewhere in the middle of the English f and h sounds.(Like lightly huffing!)
9
Double consonants are a little harder. You stop abruptly before the sound. Only for a VERY split second otherwise you'll just sound weird. It should be almost undetectable (This is why it's harder).
10
Silent I's, and U's. I's and U's are not pronounced when followed by a hard consonant. This also occurs at the end of a word.

Community Q&A

Question

How is the Japanese name "Kazuto" pronounced?

Community Answer

kha (like the word car without the r) - zoo (like the word zoo) - toe (like the word toe).
Question

How do I pronounce "Kenzaburu Oe"?

Community Answer

ken-ZA-boo-roo OH-EH. Say the whole thing quickly to pronounce it properly. If you drag it out and try to enunciate each syllable, it will sound horrible and very American.
Question

How do you pronounce toshinobu urabe?

Community Answer

Toe-she-no-boo oo-ra-bae Oo is like woo without the w. Ra is like bra without the b. Bae as in baby.
Question

How do I say snake in Japanese?

Community Answer

Hebi. he (like in hey without the y, breathing out heh) be (pronounced like bee).
Question

How do I pronounce the name Tomoe?

Community Answer

Toe (like the toes on your foot) - Mo (Mmm-oh) - Ey (like saying hey without the h).
Question

How do I pronounce Yukako? Which part is accented?

Community Answer

"YOO-kah-ko." The first syllable is accented. The whole name is said very quickly, so do not drag out each syllable, or it will sound very American.
Question

How do you say "Yasmin" in Japanese?

Community Answer

"Yasumin" (YAZ-oh-MEWN) is similar to the English version of this word.
Question

How do I say "Shigeru Hamajima?"

Community Answer

It's pronounced: SHE - GAY - RU (hard R) ; HA-MA-GEE-MA. Try to pronounce "R" harder than in English (not "wu" but "lu").
Question

How do I pronounce the name Maki?

Community Answer

You can write the word in google translate and listen to its pronunciation, It’s pronounced like: Ma (like in master) ki (like key), and pronounce it quick and short.

Warnings

Don't listen to Japanese music for the double consonants (they're not there at all) or elongated vowels (they are not there MOST of the time).

Thanks!
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