Spanish readers can use a steady tap to hear how Japanese words divide into short timing units called morae.

The idea

Spanish has stressed and unstressed syllables, and stress can distinguish words. Japanese mora counting is different from stress or pitch accent: a basic kana generally counts once, while ん, small っ and a long vowel each add a mora. Small ゃ, ゅ and ょ join the preceding kana. Thus きゃく is きゃ・く and きって is き・っ・て. Natural speech varies in duration, so tapping is a learning aid, not a metronome.

Patterns to compare
WordMorae
きゃくきゃ・く
きってき・っ・て
にほんに・ほ・ん
がっこうが・っ・こ・う
コーヒーコ・ー・ヒ・ー

Examples

  • 切手きってを二枚にまい買かいます。I buy two postage stamps.
  • ここに来きてください。Please come here.
  • おばさんと公園こうえんで話はなします。I talk with my aunt in the park.
  • おばあさんと公園こうえんで話はなします。I talk with my grandmother in the park.
  • 今日きょう、客きゃくが来きます。A guest is coming today.
  • 父ちちはコーヒーを飲のみます。My father drinks coffee.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

Do not carry Spanish stress onto each Japanese mora or give small ゃ a separate beat. The pause in きって matters.

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: コ・ー・ヒ・ー. Each long vowel adds a mora.

  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: きゃ・く. Small ゃ joins き.

Use it today

Tap きゃく, きって and コーヒー, then say them naturally.