Polite endings can sound shorter than their spelling suggests.
The idea
In standard Japanese, the high vowels /i/ and /u/ may be devoiced, especially between voiceless consonants or at the end after one. Thus the vowel in し in します and in final す in です or ます can be hard to hear; the consonants remain.
Examples
- 今日は寒いです。It is cold today.
- 明日は学校へ行きます。I will go to school tomorrow.
- 朝、コーヒーを飲みます。I drink coffee in the morning.
- 駅で友達を待ちます。I will wait for a friend at the station.
- 少し待ってください。Please wait a little.
- 明日、電話します。I will call tomorrow.
Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.
No Japanese device voice is available. You can still read the text and use the linked listening resources.
Watch out
Devoicing is not a spelling change or a licence to omit the whole syllable. It varies with speaker and context; a clearly voiced vowel is also possible.
Try it yourself
「です」の最後で、母音が聞こえにくくなることがある仮名はどれですか。（で／す）
Show answer or example answer
す
す: its /u/ may be devoiced after /s/ at the end of です.
「します」の最初で、母音が聞こえにくくなることがある仮名はどれですか。（し／ま）
Show answer or example answer
し
し: its /i/ can be devoiced between /sh/ and /m/; listen for a weak vowel rather than removing the syllable.
「行きます」の丁寧な語尾を書いてください。
Show answer or example answer
ます
ます: the polite ending remains ます in writing even when its final vowel is weak.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Japanese sentences where available. We keep your score.
「です」の最後で、母音が聞こえにくくなることがある仮名はどれですか。（で／す）
「します」の最初で、母音が聞こえにくくなることがある仮名はどれですか。（し／ま）
「行きます」の丁寧な語尾を書いてください。
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Keep your progress
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Read the examples aloud, listen for the weak vowels, and then identify the full written endings.