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!)

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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.

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).

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