In Lesson 1, you studied the one-to-one correspondences between character and sound and the basic Japanese syllables. Here, we will learn a few exceptions in the letter-sound correspondences as well as additional sounds that we haven’t learned. Upon completing this lesson, you will have finished the entire Sounds and Writing 1 in the textbook (pp.15-28).
When to start this lesson
Anytime after you finish Lesson 1.
Lesson Goals
- Understanding the exceptions where a character and sound don’t match to each other
- Learning additional sounds such as voiced sounds, contracted sounds, double consonants, devoiced vowels, and pitch accent
- Learning basic family terms
- Learning numerical expressions and how to count
- Learning words for days of the week
- Learning basic location words
What you will be able to do
By completing this lesson, you will be able to do the following things:
- You can pronounce and write words correctly even when there is a mismatch between a hiragana and sound.
- You can correctly pronounce and write words that include sounds other than the basic syllables learned in Lesson 1.
- You can correctly pronounce basic family terms, numerical expressions, words for days of the week and locations.
- You can count five-digit numbers.
Activities
L3 Activity 1 – Learn & Understand (1)
Understand when mismatches between writing and pronunciation occur.
Read “SW1-2. The Pronunciation of [-ei] and [-ou]” on p.19 in the main volume checking the pronunciations of the example words using the audio files below.
・
・
・
・
・
・
L3 Activity 2 – Learn & Understand (2)
Complete “Comprehension Check SW1-2” on pp.20-21 and check your understanding. You can confirm your answers on the answer key below:
Answer Key
L3 Activity 3 – Practice (1)
Using the seven videos in “Practice 2-2” below, practice the pronunciations of the example words in “Comprehension Check SW1-2.”
Practice 2-2
The Pronunciation of [-ei] and [-ou]
Following the video instructions, practice the pronunciations of the words that appear in the section “SW1-2. The Pronunciation of [-ei] and [-ou]” (p.19).
Word by Word
Repeat each word aloud.
Shadowing Practice
Repeat each word aloud again, this time while you listen.
Basic Syllables & [-ei] and [-ou]
Following the video instructions, practice the pronunciations of the words that appear in Comprehension Checks SW1-2 A, B, and C (p.20).
Word by Word
Repeat each word aloud.
Shadowing Practice
Repeat each word aloud again, this time while you listen.
Family Terms
Following the video instructions, practice the pronunciations of the words that appear in Comprehension Check SW1-2 D (pp.20-21).
Word by Word
Repeating each word aloud.
Shadowing Practice
Repeat each word aloud again, this time while you listen.
Your linguistics professor is using Japanese as an example of a language where the set of terms used to refer to one’s own family is different from the set of terms used to refer to the family of someone else. You are the only student who speaks Japanese in class. Demonstrate how the two sets of words are used by responding to terms from one set with the corresponding terms from the other set.
L3 Activity 4 – Learn & Understand (3)
Learn the voiced sounds.
- Read “SW1-3. Voiced Sounds” on p.21 in the main volume.
- Using the first three videos in “Practice 2-3” below, confirm the pronunciations of voiced sounds.
- Complete “Comprehension Check SW1-3” on p.22 and check your understanding. You can confirm your answers on the answer key below:
Answer Key - Using the remaining two videos in “Practice 2-3,” confirm the pronunciations of the words in “Comprehension Check SW1-3.”
Practice 2-3
Voiced Sounds
Following the video instructions, practice the sound of each syllable.
Syllable by Syllable
Repeat each syllable aloud.
Syllable Strings
Repeat each string of syllables aloud.
Shadowing Practice
Repeat each syllable aloud, this time while you listen.
Following the video instructions, practice the pronunciations of the words that appear in Comprehension Check SW1-3 (p.22).
Word by Word
Repeat each word aloud.
Shadowing Practice
Repeat each word aloud again, this time while you listen.
L3 Activity 5 – Learn & Understand (4)
Learn the contracted sounds.
- Read “SW1-4. Contracted Sounds” on pp.22-23 in the main volume.
- Using the first six videos in “Practice 2-4” below, confirm the pronunciations of the contracted sounds.
- Complete “Comprehension Check SW1-4” on p.23 and check your understanding. You can confirm your answers on the answer key below:
Answer Key - Using the remaining two videos in “Practice 2-4,” confirm the pronunciations of the words in “Comprehension Check SW1-4.”
Practice 2-4
Contracted Sounds
Following the video instructions, practice the sound of each syllable.
Syllable by Syllable
Repeat each syllable aloud.
Syllable Strings
Repeat each string of syllables aloud.
Shadowing Practice
Repeat each syllable aloud again, this time while you listen.
Syllable by Syllable – Unvoiced & Voiced
Repeat each syllable aloud.
Syllable Strings
Repeat each string of syllables aloud.
Shadowing Practice
Repeat each syllable aloud again, this time while you listen.
Following the video instructions, practice the pronunciations of the words that appear in Comprehension Check SW1-4 (p.23).
Word by Word
Repeat each word aloud.
Shadowing Practice
Repeat each word aloud again, this time while you listen.
L3 Activity 6 – Learn & Understand (5)
Learn double consonants.
- Read “SW1-5. Double Consonants” on p.24 in the main volume checking the pronunciations of the example words using the audio files below.
・きた [kita] – came
・きった [kitta] – cut
・ちょっと [chotto] – a little
・がっこう [gakkou] – school
・きっさてん [kissaten] – cafe
- Complete “Comprehension Check SW1-5 [A]” on p.24 and check your understanding. You can confirm your answers on the answer key below:
Answer Key - Using the two videos in “Practice 2-5” below, confirm the pronunciations of the words in “Comprehension Check SW1-5 [A].”
Practice 2-5
Double Consonants
Following the video instructions, practice the pronunciations of the words that appear in the section “SW1-5. Double Consonants” and Comprehension Check SW1-5 (p.24).
Word by Word
Repeat each word aloud.
Shadowing Practice
Repeat each word aloud again, this time while you listen.
L3 Activity 7 – Learn & Understand (6)
Learn numerical expressions.
- Complete “Comprehension Check SW1-5 [B]” on p.25. You can confirm your answers on the answer key below:
Answer Key - Using the two videos in “Practice 3-1” below, confirm the pronunciations of the numerical expressions in “Comprehension Check SW1-5 [B].”
Practice 3-1
Basic Numbers
Following the video instructions, practice the pronunciations of the basic numbers that appear in the chart of Comprehension Check SW1-5 B (p.25).
Number by Number
Repeat each word aloud.
Shadowing Practice
Repeat each word aloud again, this time while you listen.
L3 Activity 8 – Practice (2)
Using the remaining five videos in “Practice 3-1” below, practice how to count numbers 11 and larger.
Basic and Larger Numbers
You are living with a Japanese host family and teaching their youngest child Japanese numbers. Pronounce each number as it appears.
1
2
3
4
Arithmetic
You are teaching the older child of your host family simple arithmetic. Provide the answers aloud as each problem appears.
L3 Activity 9 – Learn & Understand (7)
Learn words for days of the week.
Complete “Comprehension Check SW1-5 [C]” on p.25. You can confirm your answers on the answer key below:
Answer Key
L3 Activity 10 – Practice (3)
Using the four videos in “Practice 3-2” below, confirm the pronunciations of words for the day of the week and practice them.
Practice 3-2
Days of the Week
Following the video instructions, practice the pronunciations of the days of the week that appear in the chart of Comprehension Check SW1-5 C (p.25).
Word by Word
Repeat each word aloud.
Shadowing Practice
Repeat each day of the week aloud again, this time while you listen.
Mnemonic
This is one common way of memorizing the days of the week in Japanese. Try saying them as fast as you can!
What days of the week are we meeting them?
You and your friend have seven Japanese conversation partners and meet one of them together each day of the week. Your friend is asking over the phone on which day of the week you will meet a specific partner over the next two weeks. Let him know the schedule in Japanese.
L3 Activity 11 – Learn & Understand (8)
Learn basic location words.
Complete “Comprehension Check SW1-5 [D]” on p.26. You can confirm your answers on the answer key below:
Answer Key
L3 Activity 12 – Practice (4)
Using the five videos in “Practice 3-3” below, confirm the pronunciations of basic locations words and practice them.
Practice 3-3
Location Words
Following the video instructions, practice the pronunciations of the location words that appear in the chart of Comprehension Check SW1-5 D (p.26).
Word by Word
Repeat each word aloud.
Shadowing Practice
Repeat each location word aloud again, this time while you listen.
Let’s sing a song!
Let’s sing a song as a mnemonic to help memorize these words quickly!
Eye Examinations
You are visiting an optician and undertaking an eye examination to buy new glasses while studying in Japan. Tell him which part of each circle has a cut along the circumference.
Where are the dogs?
A man is looking for his dogs. Help him find them by telling him where they are.
L3 Activity 13 – Practice (5)
Practice writing basic greeting expressions in hiragana by completing “Comprehension Check SW1-5 [E]” on p.26. You can confirm your answers on the answer key below:
Answer Key
L3 Activity 14 – Learn & Understand (9)
Learn devoiced vowels.
- Read “SW1-6. Devoiced Vowels” on p.27 in the main volume checking the pronunciations of the example words using the audio files below.
(1)しけん [shiken] – exam
(2)れきし [rekishi] – history
(3)ちかてつ [chikatetsu] – subway
(4)きく [kiku] – to listen / hear / ask
(5)すきな [sukina] – to like
(6)しゅくだい [shukudai] – homework
- Complete “Comprehension Check SW1-6” on p.27 and check your understanding. You can confirm your answers on the answer key below:
Answer Key
L3 Activity 15 – Practice (6)
Using the two videos in “Practice 4-1” below, confirm the pronunciations of the example words in SW1-6 and practice them.
Practice 4-1
Devoiced Vowels
Following the video instructions, practice the pronunciations of the words that appear in the section “SW1-6. Devoiced Vowels” and Comprehension Check SW1-6 (p.27).
Word by Word
Repeat each word aloud.
Shadowing Practice
Repeat each word aloud again, this time while you listen.
L3 Activity 16 – Learn & Understand (10)
Learn pitch accent.
- Read “SW1-7. Pitch Accent” on p.28 in the main volume.
- Complete “Comprehension Check SW1-7” on p.28 and check your understanding. You can confirm your answers in the “Practice 4-2” videos below:
Practice 4-2
Pitch Accent
Following the video instructions, practice the pronunciations of the words that appear in the section “SW1-7. Pitch Accent” and Comprehension Check SW1-7 (p.28).
Word by Word
Repeat each word aloud.
Shadowing Practice
Repeat each word aloud again, this time while you listen.
IMPORTANT!
Memorizing this many words is quite challenging, but it is essential to master a foreign language. PANORAMA eases this burden by making repetition practice doable using Anki’s spaced repetition. All words and expressions that appear in the textbook sections we have covered in this lesson are included in the Anki deck titled “Sound & Writing Systems Module Vocabulary.” They appear in the textbook’s order. Be sure to continue practicing using the deck even after you finish the exercises in the textbook and on the website.