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  • 撥音(hatsuon)ん
  • 長音(chōon)
  • 促音(sokuon)

Pronunciation

促音(sokuon)

促音 (sokuon) refers to the small つ(っ) in Japanese, which is a special character that represents a double consonant or glottal stop. It indicates that the consonant that follows it is doubled, meaning it should be pronounced with a slight pause or a doubling of the consonant sound.

How to Pronounce 促音 (sokuon):

• The small つ (っ) is not pronounced on its own; instead, it causes the consonant that follows it to be doubled or held for a slight pause.

• When you see っ in a word, the following consonant is pronounced with more emphasis and a slight "stopping" or "catching" sound.

Examples of 促音 (Sokuon):

1. きって (kitte) - "stamp"

• The tt sound is doubled, so it’s pronounced "kit-teh" with a pause between the "t" sounds.

2. さっき (sakki) - "a little while ago"

• The kk sound is doubled, pronounced as "sak-kee."

3. がっこう (gakkō) - "school"

• The kk sound is doubled, pronounced as "gak-koh."

How to Recognize 促音:

• The small つ (っ) will always be before a consonant (not a vowel). It’s typically found before k, s, t, p, and h sounds, but can also appear before other consonants in certain cases.

促音 in Romanization:

• In romaji, a doubled consonant is often represented by repeating the consonant (e.g., tt, ss, kk).

• For example:

きって (kitte) becomes "kitte" in romaji.

がっこう (gakkō) becomes "gakkō" in romaji.

Common Mistakes:

• Not doubling the consonant enough: The sound after the small つ(っ) should be distinctly held for a moment longer, so don’t rush it.

• Forgetting the small つ: Missing the small つ(っ) can drastically change the meaning of a word (e.g., きて (kite) "come" vs. きって (kitte) "stamp").

Examples of words containing 促音(sokuon)
No.
Word
Pronunciation
Meaning
1 学校 school
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    By learning these sentences, you can not only master practical and natural Japanese expressions, but also gain a deeper understanding of Japanese culture, which highly values politeness, respect for others, and harmonious communication. These phrases will be especially useful when traveling, working, studying abroad, or speaking with Japanese friends and colleagues.

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      Learn Japanese step by step 2

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      Greetings

      These 100 Japanese greeting expressions cover many of the most commonly used phrases in daily life, business communication, social interactions, and formal situations. They include first meetings, self-introductions, expressions of gratitude, farewells, caring phrases, invitations, hospitality language, and seasonal greetings.

      By learning these sentences, you can not only master practical and natural Japanese expressions, but also gain a deeper understanding of Japanese culture, which highly values politeness, respect for others, and harmonious communication. These phrases will be especially useful when traveling, working, studying abroad, or speaking with Japanese friends and colleagues.

      It is recommended to practice them aloud in real-life contexts and pay attention to differences in formality. With continued study, your Japanese speaking ability, communication skills, and natural fluency will improve significantly.