The Very Basics of Japanese Pitch Accent | 2 Rules and 4 Patterns

[@TriRabbi]

Your English is so pleasant to listen to.

[@coolbrotherf127]

I've known that pitch accent helps distinguish similarly sounding words, but I never realized that it is also used to clearly separate words in a sentence. Now I'll be definitely trying to analyze every spoken sentence trying to hear the variations in pitch between words.

[@yishihara55527]

Unfortunately that doesn't work.

[@yishihara55527]

@@dmitriiafanasev9991 You are pissing against the wind.

[@mudkip_btw]

I was taught that there are no real rules for pitch, so you should just learn them for each word. You've narrowed it down to just four types, where onlt the 中高 words need to be known word-by-word. That simplifies it so much! I found pitch weirdly consistent for a while now, but I wasn't able to put it into words. 本当にありがとうございます!

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

お役に立ててよかったです！😊✨

[@tlembro]

This is so true! My husband was Japanese and lived in Japan for 10-11 years.No one told me this but I just heard it over and over….like a musical sound. We call it different accents on syllables….long and short. Thank you for this…I cant stand the sound that many people use…..the word itself is only a small part….the flow of sound is what makes it real!

[@Amaling]

Watching this video after reading about pitch accent online and hearing that my native Farsi has the same type of pitch accent as Japanese. It is indeed, shockingly similar! The loanwords you used as examples in this video, most of them are said exactly the same in Farsi

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

Interesting!!😁

[@tarriyen8032]

I didn’t know these rules! Why my Japanese teachers and textbook didn’t mention it. This is the whole new world to me 🤯😱 Thank you, sensei! 🙇🏽

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

I guess the pitch accent is too difficult for beginner students 🤔 Thank you for the comment!

[@danjf1]

I agree. Most of my books don't mention anything about pitch. I'm glad I found a couple of KZbinr videos that explain it and actually give you the rules (wakadaka, etc) with correct Standard/Tokyo pronunciation. Thank you!

[@FakeLewis]

I'm exactly like this now lol

[@WalterLawrence-m3p]

Love each your word. Even your Anglo tongue is much sweet,rather than nowadays Londoners. W With love ,yours alina

[@WalterLawrence-m3p]

From alina to fumi

[@TVs-d6f]

Ive always been quite confused about pitch in the japanese language, this video was insanely helpful :3

[@TriRabbi]

I have had nothing but good interactions with Japanese people. I took a business trip to Japan 25 years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it.

[@lkj2727]

You are the most soft-speaking person I've ever seen on KZbin. 😄 Thanks a lot, anyway. This is the exact lesson I was looking for.

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

Glad to hear it! Thank you 😊😊

[@mrmatz408]

Pitch accent is really tricky, but this video demystified it a bit for me. Thank you!

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

I'm glad to hear that! And thank you for your SUPER THANKS! It motivates me a lot😀🙌

[@ifishineushine]

Thanks for this video, I never learned these rules even after a year of learning Japanese. This was very helpful since I’m still new to the language!

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

Thank you! 日本語の勉強、がんばってくださいね！😄

[@wueric2855]

Very helpful! This is something that I think is pretty important and will make an huge distinction between mediocre pronunoncers and excellent ones.

[@sgtdeathsquad76]

I haven’t finished the video yet but thank you so much, I’m so happy that at the start of the video you said that this is extra, I’m still going to take the time to learn it but I’m less worried cause now I know I don’t have to learn this

[@joemetzengerstein8519]

Your voice is so soothing it makes me want to keep rewatching your videos 💜 Thanks for breaking down such complex topics in simple and direct explanations! I'm feeling more motivated now :)

[@No_Named_Nobody]

I finally started to understand Kanji, just for pitch accent to come along and break my brain again.

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

You don't have to learn everything right away. I think just being aware of pitch accent will help you improve your accent😄

[@Scotty-Dont]

You got this, dude

[@ellie2285]

Your videos are wonderful - your voice is so soothing, not to mention you speak in such a clear and easy to understand way. I'm really glad I found your channel, thank you for your hard work! ✨

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

Thank you 😊 I’m glad you found my channel too! I hope your Japanese learning journey will be fun and exciting 😁👍

[@koobzandthekeys]

I second that! Not only is the topic presented cleary but it also makes for such a welcome change to hear a teacher speak in a low voice. Calming, yet still very much informative!

[@asprywrites]

Your voice is very comforting. I bet you're good with children. I'm sure I'd enjoy talking with you. Keep up the great work. I'm not studying Japanese but I learned a lot by accidentally finding your upload. Take care and thanks.

[@ヘスリングマイク-j2i]

As a native Japanese speaker, this video covers about 90% of the rules. For example, at 6:00, the the younger sister example (imoutowa) does not have to lower the pitch in the following particle. By keeping the pitch flat, it is the equivalent of stressing "my sister" in English. The nuance being, "as to my sister...". You know, like in English we strees cetain words to change the nuance. "My" is stressed in "my sister", as opposed to "your sister". "Sister" is stressed when you are conveying the nuace of "my sister, not my brother". Also, she does preface this video as a Tokyo accent tutorial. If you go to Osaka, many things change. So pitch accent is not a serious problem, as it is in Chinese where the pitch actually changes the word itself. If you have a chance to dine with people from Tokyo and Osaka together, ask them how they pronounce "Hashi" witch means chopsticks, among other things. You will get one saying it up-down pitch and the other saying it down-up pitch. So don't worry too much about the pitch accent. If the pronunciation is right, we will understand you.

[@davfb8622]

As someone who learned English and trained orally, we did speak extensively about pitch in English. How words and sentences rise and fall. So it’s just training your ear to hear the pitch and replicate. The feel comes with practice

[@AndG463]

I’ve been learning Japanese in and off all my life including at university and no one has ever explained this. Now I know why my Japanese friends kept correcting me when I said 雨. ありがとうございます。

[@EZDre11]

This is so important! Idk why teachers don’t emphasize this early on. Maybe because they assume learners will just get pitch naturally but that’s never true 😅

[@massvt3821]

This remimnds me of the time a Japanese instructor pronounced the word "konnichiwi". She made the distinction of saying "kon-N-ichiwa", which I suspect is often ignored when this word is said very quickly. We all tend to slur our words, in any language. I guess "sumimasen" is the same, as it's often pronounced "suimasen", without the first "m". You would make a great English sensei for high school kids..maybe you already are--lol

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

Hi, you’re right, I teach English to people not only high school kids, but also adults. And some young men say こんちは instead of こんにちは😁

[@Gankoittetsu]

🤣 konnichiwi

[@dazzothegreat]

Het voice is soooo soothing 😊

[@weeringjohnny]

I don't remember my French teachers back in Scotland in the 70s being quite as gentle as this lady. Are all Japanese language teachers as nice as her?

[@s0ledadSperanza]

the japanese culture is extremely polite and gentle! niceness is highly valued in japan - so probably, yes :)

[@diamondsaf5064]

Your voice is very calming💗😄 and this video was really helpful ありがとうございます

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

Oh, thank you for saying that😊

[@XSunnyHeartX]

That is very interesting! I learn langauges by sound or sound combinations. That means I usually don't have problems with pitch, but it is interesting to know that there is a concept like this - especially when learning new expressions.

[@babyblue7798]

awww. i want to return to learning nihongo. i started in 2018 and hen stopped. i love it. i will start again.

[@CorpseTornado]

I knew nothing of this til' I found a book by a Japanese dude in a Canadian library. Either way, the amount of useful information you put on the screen during your explanation is perfecto. I love getting the kanji and furigana in real time like this. Great teaching and editing.

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

Thank you!😊✨

[@thymelog]

After I watched a couple of your videos, l’m in love to ふみさん already, so excited to show my girl your videos !!! ふみさんの品のある日本語を聞いているととても気持ちいいです🎵

[@damlurker]

先生の発音はとてもきれいですね。聞いたらなんか落ち着く気がします。

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

ありがとうございます😊嬉しいです！

[@idee7896]

Interesting! Never knew about pitch. You explain it in such easy to understand way. I also notice that your presentation (your voice) is so soothing. I can listen to you for hours. Maybe you can explore doing an ASMR?

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

Thank you! And thank you for the suggestion, too, but I can't listen to ASMR myself ...so maybe not😅

[@ivenacaroline7247]

Thankyou! i was searching for the rule or pattern for Japanese pitch accent! and really the only way is learn word by word thou :'D ganbarimasu!

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

ganbatte!!😁👍

[@HakanEgeli]

Thanks!

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

Thank you so much for your support, Hakan-san😊😊

[@samuraishonan4706]

I have been here nearly 40 years and will never ever lose my NYCity accent …on purpose. Definitely makes for fun chatter.

[@日本語夢]

This really helps when trying to understand the pitch section at the beginning of Minna no Nihongo.

[@jonkomatsu8192]

Another really interesting and useful lesson. Thanks! 🤙

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

Thank you!!😊

[@frithbarbat]

I've been studying Japanese for 40 (yes, 40) years, and this is the first time I've ever realized that pitch is so much a part of Japanese. I always thought it only mattered to distinguish words like 橋、箸、端　・雨、あめ etc. Thank you so much!

[@tachikaze222]

I started Japanese in 1989 and lived in Tokyo for most of the 90s . . . I too thought pitch was only for e.g. saké vs sake . . . ChatGPT 4's answer on this is very similar to sensei's : )

[@luckyhappy65]

多謝！

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

Thank you for your support 😊✨ I appreciate it

[@ELZ00M]

Nice. Practice words that YOU LIKE. Makes learning way better

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

Would like to improve how you sound in Japanese? Check it out! www.speakjapanesenaturally.com/ You'll learn about Japanese phonetics, such as pronunciation, rhythm, pitch accent, intonation and so on. Those knowledge will help you sound natural when speaking Japanese. You can also subscribe a newsletter from the link above.

[@jblauh01]

Wow this was so helpful! Some Japanese KZbinrs should make a coarse or classes. Many people would love to learn but have little access to do so. Self teaching is very hard.

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

Actually I’m making a phonetic course 😊

[@jblauh01]

@@SpeakJapaneseNaturally Definitely something I would be interested in!

[@mizuhayt]

Thank you for this video. Your videos are very unique and informative

[@SalawuIbrahim]

One minute in, I've already subscribed and liked this video.

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

Glad to hear that, thank you for subscribing and welcome to my channel✨

[@voytecco6104]

Dziękujemy.

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

Voy Tecco-san, Thank you for your support! I really appreciate it 😊✨

[@iMuzik3]

So happy to have this video!

[@idontlikechocolatebrownies3281]

Thank you for explaining the pitch! It's so hard to learn it alone.

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

I’m sure it’s hard. Ganbatte kudasai 👍 Thank you for the comment 😊

[@AthanasiosJapan]

That's the first time I see the rules of pitch accent in Japanese.

[@Firstderma]

Thank you for clear explanation and very informative. It’s very helpful for beginners 😊

[@n20games52]

ビデオをありがとうございます。 Thanks for this unique type of instruction!

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

I hope it’ll be of some help. Thank you 😊

[@Pyovali]

Every word in Finnish is using pattern 1. This whole pitch accent concept is alien to me.

[@UniverseBeauty-ff4eo]

1st time seeing one of your videos 😊😊Just subscribed❤❤❤❤

[@TomTomosan]

Very helpful. Thank you for your hard work.

[@zulkiflijamil4033]

英語 アメリカ インド ねこ 日本 日本人 いもうとは This is an excellent explanation and useful lesson sensei. ありがといございます。

[@sinister_logos4725]

This was very helpful

[@Frisbieinstein]

That's subtle. I never would have noticed this.

[@andie6959]

Many thanks, it has been very helpful.

[@srellison561]

This is so incredibly helpful.

[@snathan3198]

Very nice lesson!

[@s0ledadSperanza]

ありがとうせんせい！とても助かります！🤍

[@Samuel-vq4ii]

Thank you for the explanation. Are there categories of words that usually fall under certain patterns which would make it easier to learn? I’ve noticed that a lot of adjectives are 中高 and that a lot of 4 mora 2 kanji nouns are 平板. If so, please could you teach us some of these as they’re really difficult to find.

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

Yes, there are certain patterns for certain words. I can't tell you when, but I'll make some videos about them. Thank you for the suggestion!

[@jshy5569]

Thank you very much for your explanation . I didn’t know the pitch is different between Nihongo and Nihonjin ! I need more training for my ears 👂 😅.

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

Your ears will get used to it👍😁

[@LicensedTeacherFor4y-7y]

I do fu mi sen se's youtube shorts everyday it is like as my learning preview. In addition i carefully start attempting full series by my choice. Don't tell anyone this is very good for me.^^

[@johnsanchezzambrano6303]

Eres muy bella y muy buena enseñando. Además tu voz es relajante, como un soplo de brisa, como una caricia.

[@lisamarydew]

Lovely! The only video about pitch that made sense to me, and was so gentle on the ear and pleasing to watch. You're a great teacher.

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

Thank you 😁✨✨

[@seenonyt2210]

Very good lesson and so well presented! Thanks a lot!

[@Ruther1988]

Vielen dank für dieses tolle Video! Es hat mir sehr geholfen.

[@中国-t3k]

for me, I learned japanese accent naturally by listening to videos like these, also musics, movies and anime. because of that, I have trouble speaking in english because I have a habit of saying chansu instead of chance and somehow I can tell someone is a beginner when their japanese accent is not right.

[@clumplover3415]

i learned japanese accent naturally by watching the waterfall flow over the beautiful rocks... for me, all speech is difficult because i am so awestruck by beauty... i guess being Japanese also helped but only marginally it was mostly the waterfall and nature for me

[@footfault1941]

Hi friends! Good luck for your practicing Japanese. Here's an excellent video, although it's for advanced learners. So, taking a more strictly academic approach, paying attention to subtleties. In fact, as a rule of thumb, Japanese is mostly flat. In Kansai-ben spoken around Osaka,makes a unique exception with more marked difference. Just follow her, closer to the standard version.

[@guilhermeteixeira7095]

Learning Japanese pitch accent seems like an endless world of knowledge to acquire. Fortunately though, I usually pick up most of the pitches the right way naturally somehow. Maybe my native language helps me with that (which is Brazilian Portuguese), perhaps making it easier for me than it would be for an English native speaker for example (it's just a guess). Great video full of useful information as usual. ありがとうございます。

[@alonsorojas3829]

Love your videos, I always learn a lot!

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

Glad to hear that :)

[@human47134]

what's wild is, as I learn, I'm just learning the pitch along with the word (subconsciously). The rules confuse me but I guess if I just pronounce the words correctly with the pitch that I hear it in, it'll be fine. (because I'll have the correct pitch anyway LOL)

[@spiceupyourlifekavitagakhe6200]

Very interesting and learning...Its so nicely explained. So i want to know お早うございます。。will have rise and fall how many times...❤

[@lamtuvi]

Thank you so much for your extremely helpful lessons for a beginner like me !

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

I'm glad you found it helpful✨

[@AMCTequila]

What interesting lessons you have.

[@manuelvicente9614]

❤ Thanks, very interesting. I should have know that when I started learning only with a book before the invention of youtube (I know, I’m old) … now it’s maybe too late, but no worries everybody knows I’m a Spanish gaijin…. 😂

[@shinobik933]

Indeed. It feels just naturally to say some words in the right pitch. Also, I noticed 日本人 pitch follows similar tone (low higher low) than that of cantonese. Interesting 🤔

[@adim947]

わにという単語とわに革という単語でピッチが変わる例が分かりやすい

[@ノーバメディコ]

日本人にとっても役に立ちますね

[@professorsogol5824]

Would 先生 care to talk about hashi - bridge (橋) hashi - chopsticks (箸) hashi - edge/tip (端) ?

[@valkman761]

Rules are for guidance but you need to develop an understanding of the language naturally. You can't force it with rules and categories

[@kerrymechedal4165]

Excellent explanation. Thank you Sensei

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

You are very welcome✨😁

[@pencilaturdesk143]

how do i practice saying and recognizing pitch accents? God bless you, i hope you will be able to master the language you want to learn

[@yas-bkrt]

This is very helpful! Thank you!

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

Glad to hear that. Thank you:)

[@tompribyl2884]

In my college Japanese course I was taught that the language is always flat, in a momotone. I suppose I knew that the teaching was incorrect because I could hear pitch shifting in native Japanese speech. I don't understand why pitch is not always part of Japanese language learning.

[@albertorodriguez7024]

ありがとうございます

[@cinegoth4144]

Thank you for this video. This really helped 🙂

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

I’m glad to hear that. Thank you 😊

[@joshjocuns4076]

You are so amazing I’m so glad I found your channel

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

Thank you! I'm glad you found my channel!

[@ladiesweb4769]

"The past was the worst" -Simmon Whistler

[@amethystskeels3788]

Are the 2 rules to how the pitch works still universal no matter what region you're speaking from?

[@saraarsenault7453]

Thank you so much!

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

My pleasure 😊

[@lucasivan1836]

I'm just starting to learn new kanji meanings and I'd like to know if there is some web page or dictionary where I can find the pitch of each word, please. By the way, congrats. Yours is a wonderful work! Keep up doing it!

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

How about this page? www.gavo.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp/ojad/eng/pages/home And as for your smartphone, you can use “JAccent”. You can find it on App store or Google Play store 😊

[@GlitchmanVGM]

This was a very helpful video and it was very easy to understand! ありがとうございます！ (did I say that correctly? 😁)

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

Thank you! And yes, you said it correctly :)

[@samuraishonan4706]

Sensei, your skin is beautiful

[@nareshchoudhary4407]

It really helpful. Thank you

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

Glad to hear that. Thank you

[@juankwanmendoza5219]

Wow, you are amazing!! Is there anyone available to teach me the Japanese language. However I am in Los Angeles California. P.s. wishing the best to all the survivors in Japan's earthquake 2024😇💪🙏

[@intothenewworld327]

Thank you so much sensei!~🙇🏽‍♂️💖✨

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

Douitashimashite😀

[@cinegoth4144]

Sensei, can you give other examples of different dialects please? If not, then that’s alright. Also, if I learn the Tokyo dialect, would I have troubles understanding other dialects if I travel to different prefectures?

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

Everybody in Japan would understand you if you speak the Tokyo dialect, which is also called the standard Japanese. But I’m not sure if you can understand people who speak with a strong accent. I don’t think I can understand them either. I had a difficulty understanding my grandma who was from Kagoshima. But the national broadcast is in the Tokyo dialect, so especially younger generations could speak to you in the standard Japanese.

[@cinegoth4144]

@@SpeakJapaneseNaturally That’s good to know. I just know the I’m cold sound in Hakata ben (su su su) or okini meaning thank you or very much in Kyoto. But anyways thank you for the vids. Keep it up and God bless 🙂✌️👍

[@turkeylegs1343]

Im wondering, do any pitch accent patterns used in japanese also appear if a native Japanese speaker speaks english? Or do you just pick up on the intonations of native english speakers?

[@SpeakJapaneseNaturally]

It depends on the person. I try not, but I'm not sure. I once taught a person who uses kind of pitch accent to English, it sounded very strange.

[@turkeylegs1343]

@@SpeakJapaneseNaturally hmm that's pretty interesting

[@Heyheyhey12335]

Thank you so much

[@Heyheyhey12335]

Love it so much