Japanese syllables

[bleachfanzrus]

ty =]

[zelarian]

「ら　り　る　れ　ろ」　-> "ra ri re ru ro" when you pronounce those syllables you are using the English "R". It's supposed to be rolled a little like a Spanish "R" and an English "L" so that when you pronounce it, the tip of your tongue is making contact with the front upper gums. The Japanese "R" sounds like the "T" in the word "water". Sounds like an English "D" but it's not, rather it's more 'quick'.

[roygbiv330]

perfect pronunciation.

[Breylin24]

In what cases is the "r" pronounce as a "d"?

and if I'm not mistaked is the "u" pronounce sometimes as the "u" in but?

[Syeno]

im still new to all this but i thought the "r" does a "th" sound like in 'the' or some or somthing =o

[Philodor]

Would you mind helping me, stranger, get my head around whispered vowels?

I don't know kana by the way, only romaji. I'm only beginning to learn Japanese, and I keep finding different explainations of whispered vowels that seem to conflict.

I understand that they are the vowels i or u surrounded by voiceless consonants (t, ts, sh, ch, k, p, s) or at the end of a word after one of these.

But what I am confused about is whether this always applies, or only some of the time. Thanks.

[kryss101010]

Whispered vowels? You're probably thinking of "shi" and "su". For these two the vowel is very quiet.

It does depend on the word sometimes though, and which part of Japan the speaker is from.

[Triforce36615]

Awesome-rific wow that persuades me to learn the japanese language. Is the Japanese language hard to learn Kris?

[kryss101010]

Not with effort and practice, no.

[Triforce36615]

-chuckles- I think I might give it a try!

[Triforce36615]

I just noticed the my name is in the second little column; Ken.