How Japanese ん changes before consonants

The idea

The mora ん changes its place of articulation to anticipate the next sound. Before ぽ or ぶ, as in さんぽ and しんぶん, the lips close; before が or こ, as in おんがく and ぎんこう, the back of the tongue rises. Before だ, as in ほんだな, the tongue approaches the ridge behind the teeth. Before せ in せんせい the nasal is made near the following consonant.

Examples

• 散歩さんぽをします。I take a walk.
• 新聞しんぶんを読よみます。I read the newspaper.
• 音楽おんがくを聞ききます。I listen to music.
• 銀行ぎんこうへ行いきます。I go to the bank.
• 先生せんせいに会あいます。I meet the teacher.
• 本棚ほんだなに本ほんがあります。There are books on the bookshelf.

Watch out

Do not insert a vowel after ん or replace its spelling with み or む. Its exact sound varies with the speaker and context, but ん still occupies one mora.

Try it yourself

1. 「さんぽ」の「ん」の後あとの子音しいんはどれですか。（ぱ／ぽ）

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   ぽ

   ぽ follows ん in さんぽ; close the lips in preparation for it.

2. 「おんがく」の「ん」の後あとはどれですか。（が／ば）

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   が

   が follows ん in おんがく; the back of the tongue prepares for が.

3. 「せんせい」の「ん」の後あとはどれですか。（せ／け）

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   せ

   せ follows ん in せんせい; listen for the following s sound.

4. 「しんぶん」の最初さいしょの「ん」は一拍いっぱくですか。（はい／いいえ）

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   はい

   はい。 The first ん in しんぶん takes one mora, even though the lips prepare for ぶ.

Use it today

Say each example slowly, then naturally. Notice where your mouth prepares for the sound after ん; cover the table and answer the questions.