Japanese mora timing for English readers

The idea

English rhythm often highlights stressed syllables and reduces unstressed ones. In Japanese, listen for each mora rather than giving every English-style stress a beat. Timing varies in natural speech; the tapping exercise is a guide, not a metronome. A basic kana often takes one mora. Small っ, ん and a long vowel each add one; a small ゃ, ゅ or ょ combines with the preceding kana. Thus きゃく has two morae and きって has three.

Examples

• おばさんは先生せんせいです。My aunt is a teacher.
• おばあさんは先生せんせいです。My grandmother is a teacher.
• 切手きってを買かいます。I buy a postage stamp.
• 今いまここに来きてください。Please come here now.
• コーヒーを飲のみます。I drink coffee.
• お客きゃくさんが来きます。A customer is coming.

Watch out

Morae are timing units, not stressed beats of equal mechanical duration. Do not give small ゃ an extra beat or skip the small っ.

Try it yourself

1. Choose the word with 3 morae: （きって／きて）

   Show answer or example answer

   きって

   きって has three morae: き・っ・て; the small っ takes time.

2. Choose the word with 4 morae: （コーヒー／コヒー）

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   コーヒー

   コーヒー has four morae: コ・ー・ヒ・ー; both long vowels count.

3. Choose the word with 2 morae: （きゃく／きやく）

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   きゃく

   きゃく has two morae: きゃ・く; the small ゃ belongs with き.

Use it today

Tap a steady pulse for きゃく, きって and コーヒー, then say the words naturally. For listening, use the Japan Foundation recordings 01-34, 01-35 linked in the sources.