Japanese mora timing for Brazilian Portuguese speakers

The idea

Brazilian Portuguese has lexical stress, as in sabia and sábia. Japanese mora counting includes vowel length and other timing units; pitch accent is a separate feature. A basic kana generally counts as one mora. Small っ, ん and the second part of a long vowel each add one; small ゃ, ゅ and ょ combine with the preceding kana. Thus きゃく has two morae and きって has three. Natural durations vary: tapping is a guide, not a metronome.

Examples

• 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.
• 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.
• 父ちちはコーヒーを飲のみます。My father drinks coffee.
• 今日きょう、客きゃくが来きます。A guest is coming today.

Watch out

Do not turn each mora into a stressed syllable, add a beat for small ゃ, or skip the time held by 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; small っ takes time.

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

   Show answer or example answer

   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）

   Show answer or example answer

   きゃく

   きゃく has two: きゃ・く; small ゃ combines with き.

Use it today

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