Pitch across a Japanese phrase

The idea

In the Tokyo patterns here, H is high and L is low for each mora. 橋が is L・H・L: pitch drops after し, onto が. 箸が and 雨が are H・L・L, dropping after the first mora. 飴が is L・H・H, with no drop in this span. Listen to the word and particle together.

Examples

• 橋はしが見みえます。I can see a bridge.
• 橋はしを渡わたります。I cross the bridge.
• 箸はしが必要ひつようです。I need chopsticks.
• 箸はしで食たべます。I eat with chopsticks.
• 雨あめが降ふっています。It is raining.
• 飴あめを買かいました。I bought candy.

Watch out

A phrase is not a string of equally prominent words: emphasis, boundaries and intonation can alter the contour. Regional patterns differ, and synthesized speech may not model it reliably.

Try it yourself

1. 「橋はしが」は「し」の後あとに下さがりますか。（はい／いいえ）

   Show answer or example answer

   はい

   Yes. 橋が is L・H・L, so the drop follows し.

2. 「箸はしが」はどの拍はくの後あとに下さがりますか。（は／し）

   Show answer or example answer

   は

   は. 箸が is H・L・L, so the drop follows the first mora.

3. 「飴あめが」は「め」の後あとに下さがりますか。（はい／いいえ）

   Show answer or example answer

   いいえ

   No. 飴が is L・H・H; the particle remains high in this pattern.

4. 「雨あめが」の最初さいしょの拍はくは高たかいですか。（はい／いいえ）

   Show answer or example answer

   はい

   Yes. 雨が is H・L・L, with a drop after あ.

Use it today

Read the examples aloud, keeping each noun and particle together. Cover the table and trace the high and low morae before checking it.