Japanese is syllable‑timed with pitch accent. You don’t need to be perfect—just consistent on the basics that matter most for clarity.
Mora timing that changes meaning
- っ (gemination): small pause that doubles the next consonant (きって vs きて).
- ー (long vowel): length matters (おばさん vs おばあさん).
- ん (nasal): same mora as a vowel; watch for clarity before b/m/p.
- Practice: clap or tap one beat per mora and keep rhythm even.
Pitch accent in brief
- Common patterns: heiban (flat), atamadaka (drop after first), nakadaka (drop in middle), odaka (drop after last + particle).
- Minimal‑pair awareness helps recognition more than production at first.
- Learn frequent words’ patterns; don’t chase rare items early.
Linking and reductions
- Vowel devoicing often happens for い／う between voiceless consonants; you don’t have to force it—aim for smooth rhythm.
- Link particles lightly; avoid inserting extra vowels between words.
- Shadow short native lines to capture rhythm and intonation contours.
Practice routine
- Daily: shadow 1–2 short lines at natural speed.
- Record and compare; fix one feature at a time (length, gemination, pitch trend).
- Learn accent patterns for frequent words and names you actually say.
- Read aloud what you’re already studying; reuse the same vocabulary.
Metrics to watch
- Words correctly lengthened vs shortened (おばあさん, きって, コーヒー).
- Lines shadowed to near‑timing match (number per week).
- Minimal pairs you can hear and produce on demand.
Pitfalls
- Over‑enunciating every mora; aim for natural flow once accuracy is stable.
- Ignoring vowel length; it’s one of the biggest clarity gains.
- Memorizing rare accent patterns before common ones.
How Kanji Koi helps with pronunciation
- Attach audio and short examples to the vocabulary you’re learning.
- Adaptive SRS brings frequent words back—perfect for repeating out loud.
- Offline sessions let you squeeze in quick read‑aloud and shadowing reps.
Use Kanji Koi to keep a small “pronunciation” tag on cards that need extra attention (long vowels, gemination). When they resurface, do one quick out‑loud repetition and move on.
When you learn new words, add audio and a short example to your deck; review little and often.