Proper intonation, the rise and fall of the voice in speaking, is critical to achieving Japanese fluency. In some cases, improper intonation may change the meaning of a word, and other times may lead to an otherwise correct sentence becoming incomprehensible to the listener. Intonating words correctly makes one’s Japanese sound natural and professional.

In extreme cases, improper intonation can change the entire meaning of a sentence or phrase! Take for example the word the word 「にほん」. If one says the 「にほんは楽しい！」with correct intonation, the meaning is “Japan is fun!” But if the speaker uses incorrect intonation, the sentence means “Two sticks of something are fun!” The latter sentence makes much less sense, doesn’t it?

Oftentimes, a native speaker will be able to understand what you intended to say, but it will make conversation much more difficult, tiring, and take longer to get one’s point across.

This website serves as a tool to teach proper intonation to those learning Japanese. By going through the lessons and practicing with the quizzes, you too can speak Japanese with perfect pronunciation!