English Pronunciation Guide for Japanese Speakers
Clear English pronunciation for Japanese speakers depends less on erasing an accent and more on preserving contrasts, consonant endings, stressed syllables, and sentence rhythm. Train sounds inside useful phrases. A listener needs to hear the difference between right and light, but they also need the main message words to stand out.
High-value contrasts
| Sound or pair | Practice focus |
|---|---|
| right / light | 舌先を r では接触させず、l では歯茎につける |
| road / load | 同じ対比を語頭で練習 |
| fan / van | v は下唇と上の歯を使う |
| berry / very | b は両唇、v は唇と歯 |
| see / she | s と sh の摩擦位置を区別 |
| sip / ship | 短い母音の中でも子音を保つ |
| thin / sin | th は舌先を歯の間に軽く出す |
| then / zen | 有声 th と z を区別 |
| hat / hot | 英語の母音空間を広げる |
| work / walk | 母音と r の組み合わせ |
| desk | 最後に母音を足さない |
| helped | 語尾の子音群を短く保つ |
English rhythm
Japanese morae tend to receive relatively even timing. English compresses unstressed words and stretches important stressed syllables. In I NEED to CHANGE my reserVAtion, make the message words clear and let to and my stay light.
A five-step drill
- Hear one contrast in a short phrase.
- Watch and feel the mouth position.
- Repeat slowly without adding a vowel.
- Use both words in different sentences.
- Record the full sentence and compare rhythm, not just one sound.
At a café
Customer: Could I get a large latte, please?
Server: Sure. Is that for here or to go?
Customer: For here, please. And could I have a glass of water?
Server: Of course.
FAQ
Must I sound native?
No. Aim for intelligibility, confident rhythm, and reliable contrasts. English has many legitimate accents.
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