1. Introduction

If you want to speak Japanese naturally, following the latest 2024 guidelines from the Japanese Ministry of Education, we now focus on how the words actually sound.

 

Roma-ji makes the first step easy, but think of it as a training wheel for pronunciation.

 

“Sayonara.” If you just said this in your head, did the “Say” sound like the English word “say” (/seɪ/)?

If so, you might be falling into the “Roma-ji Trap.”

 

For a deeper and faster understanding of how Japanese works, diving into Hiragana and Katakana is the real shortcut.

Here is what you need to know about Roma-ji with that in mind.

 

2. The Golden Rule: Doubling the Vowels

The biggest secret to sounding like a native is the Long Vowel (Cho-on).

In the new standard, we simply double the vowel. No more confusing macrons (ā) or extra “U”s that you don’t pronounce!

 

The biggest difference lies in how we use our mouth.

English vowels (especially /eɪ/ as in “Say” or /oʊ/ as in “Go”) are Diphthongs. This means the sound changes from start to finish.

 

In contrast, Japanese vowels (A-I-U-E-O) are Pure Vowels. Your mouth should stay in one position from the beginning to the end of the sound.

 

When you see “Sayonara” in Romaji, your brain automatically switches to “English Mode.” You end up adding a tiny “i” sound after “e” and a “u” sound after “o.” This is why your Japanese might sound like “Say-ee-oh-nara-uu.”

 

3. The “Sound Change” Chart

This is where most English speakers get confused.

Look at how the spelling changes to match the actual sound:

 

 

To English speakers, leaving a vowel “open” feels unfinished.

Subconsciously, you try to “close” the sound by moving your tongue or lips at the end.

• Japanese “E” (/e/): Keep your tongue still. “Ehhhhh.”

• English “A” (/eɪ/): Starts at “E” but ends with the tongue moving up toward “I.”

• Japanese “O” (/o/): Keep your lips rounded and still. “Ohhhhh.”

• English “O” (/oʊ/): Starts at “O” but ends with the lips pursing into a “U.”

Quick Tip: Think of Japanese vowels like a “Stop” sign. Don’t let your tongue or lips move until the sound is completely finished!

 

4. Critical Tip: The “EI” and “OU” Traps

Roma-ji is a great “bridge” to start, but it can become a wall.

• The letter “E”: Your brain might think of “Be” (/i/) or “Egg” (/e/).

• The letter “O”: Your brain thinks of “Go” (/oʊ/).

In English, “EI” sounds like “Ay” (as in Eight). But in Japanese, Eiga is pronounced as “Eh-eh-ga”, not “Ay-ga”.

Similarly, Ousama is “Oh-oh-sama”, not “Ow-sama”.

 

By writing them as “Eega” and “Oosama”, you can avoid the common “English accent” and sound like a pro from day one!

 

To truly master the structure of Japanese, you need to see the sounds as Japanese characters: Hiragana and Katakana.

These characters don’t have the “baggage” of English pronunciation rules.

 

5.Master the Sound in Just 15 Minutes

At C.C.Rainbow, we don’t just teach you words; we teach you the rhythm and muscle memory of Japanese.

Our 15-minute Edutainment Method is designed to fix these tiny habits before they become permanent.

 

Ready to sound like a native?

Join our Free Classroom to access our Kanji sheets and Monthly Culture Topics.

Let’s start your journey toward “Perfect Vowels” today!

 

 

How to join?

①Click here!

②Log in your google account.

③Tap “Join the class”!

 

 

[online language exchange meetup]

We have online language exchange meetup on February 22nd!😽

Let’s talk with C.C. Mates💗💗

 

THEME: ねこ(neko)/ cats

 

Please show me your pet or arrange your hair like a cat!!=^_^=

Of course we can talk about Japanese study too!

Applicaition is here!

(You will receive an e-mail in 2-3days anfer submitting the form.)