Japanese Tongue Twisters for Better Pronunciation: 4 More 早口言葉 (Part 2)

Looking for a fun way to improve your Japanese pronunciation without relying on textbooks or memorization? Japanese tongue twisters, or 早口言葉 (はやくちことば / hayakuchi kotoba), are a great way to practise individual sounds while also working on Japanese rhythm, pitch accent, and clear pronunciation.

In this second collection of Japanese tongue twisters, we'll practise four well-known examples, starting with a short one and gradually working our way up to a longer challenge. For each one, we'll look at its meaning and the specific pronunciation features to pay attention to.

If you haven't tried the first set yet, you can also practise with Japanese Tongue Twisters for Better Pronunciation: Part 1.

What Are Japanese Tongue Twisters (早口言葉)?

Hayakuchi kotoba (早口言葉 / はやくちことば) literally means something like "fast-speaking words" and refers to Japanese tongue twisters. Just like English tongue twisters, they range from relatively easy to surprisingly difficult—and they can be challenging for native speakers as well as Japanese learners!

Tongue twisters can be useful for pronunciation and enunciation practice because they're intentionally difficult to say. Similar sounds appear close together, forcing you to pay more attention than usual to exactly what your mouth is doing.

For Japanese learners, they can also provide focused practice with features such as vowel length, pitch accent, and Japanese rhythm.

How to Practice Japanese Tongue Twisters

The goal isn't simply to say a tongue twister as quickly as possible.

Start slowly and identify the individual sounds or combinations that are giving you trouble. Pay attention to each sound you're making and the overall rhythm of the phrase. Once you can say it accurately and comfortably, gradually increase your speed.

Rhythm is particularly important in Japanese because Japanese rhythm is based on mora (モーラ) rather than syllables. Maintaining relatively consistent mora timing can help make your pronunciation sound clearer and more natural.

For shorter 早口言葉, try saying them three times in a row once you feel comfortable. You can even turn it into a game with friends or classmates!

Ready? Let's look at four Japanese tongue twisters, starting with the shortest.

4 Japanese Tongue Twisters to Practice

1. バスガス爆発

バスガス爆発 (ばすがすばくはつ / Basu gasu bakuhatsu)

Meaning: "Bus, gas, explosion."

This is our shortest tongue twister, and the meaning is pretty straightforward! The main challenge is making sure you're saying each word and sound clearly.

Pay attention to the rhythm:

Basu｜gasu｜baku hatsu
2 – 2 – 4

Try saying it slowly first: バスガス爆発 (ばすがすばくはつ / Basu gasu bakuhatsu)

Then gradually speed it up. Once you're comfortable, try saying it three times in a row without losing the rhythm or mixing up the sounds.

Feeling pretty good so far? Let's make things a little more difficult.

2. すもももももももものうち

すもももももももものうち (Sumomo mo momo mo momo no uchi)

Meaning: "Plums and peaches are both types of peach."

This is a tongue twister I've known since I was a small child, and I remember loving it!

The challenge here isn't only the repeated も (mo). This is also a useful example for practising phrasing and pitch accent.

Let's first break down the meaning:

• すもも = plum

• もも = peach

• も = a particle meaning "also" or "too"

• うち = among / within

When practising slowly, try breaking the sentence into these groups: すもも も｜もも も｜もものうち (Sumomo mo | momo mo | momo no uchi)

These pauses make the structure easier to hear and can help you avoid getting lost in all those も (mo) sounds.

Once you understand the phrasing, listen carefully to the pitch accent and try repeating the sentence while maintaining both the correct rhythm and pitch pattern.

Start slowly:

すもももももももものうち (Sumomo mo momo mo momo no uchi)

Then speed it up!

3. バナナの謎は、まだ謎なのだぞ

バナナの謎は、まだ謎なのだぞ (ばななのなぞは、まだなぞなのだぞ / Banana no nazo wa, mada nazo nano da zo)

Meaning: "The mystery of the banana is still a mystery."

For this tongue twister, pay particular attention to the あ (a) and お (o) vowel sounds:

バナナの なぞは、まだ なぞなのだぞ (ばななのなぞは、まだなぞなのだぞ / Banana no nazo wa, mada nazo nano da zo)

When you begin saying the phrase quickly, it becomes surprisingly easy to put one of those vowels in the wrong place.

You'll also notice だ (da) and ぞ (zo) at the end. The particle ぞ (zo) can give a statement a strong or assertive tone and is traditionally associated more strongly with masculine speech.

Rather than trying to say the entire tongue twister quickly from the beginning, practise the sections that cause you trouble and make sure your vowels stay in the correct order.

Then put everything back together:

バナナの謎は、まだ謎なのだぞ (ばななのなぞは、まだなぞなのだぞ / Banana no nazo wa, mada nazo nano da zo)

4. 坊主が上手にびょうぶに坊主の絵をかいた

And now for the longest one!

坊主が上手にびょうぶに坊主の絵をかいた (ぼうずがじょうずにびょうぶにぼうずのえをかいた / Bōzu ga jōzu ni byōbu ni bōzu no e o kaita)

Meaning: "The monk skillfully painted a picture of a monk on a folding screen."

You may come across slightly different versions of this tongue twister. In some, 上手（じょうず/ jōzu) appears before びょうぶ (byōbu), while in others the two are flipped. Either way, the basic meaning remains the same.

One of the main pronunciation challenges here is the repeated long おう / ō sounds:

• ぼうず (bōzu)

• じょうず (jōzu)

• びょうぶ (byōbu)

• ぼうず (bōzu)

Pay attention not only to the long vowels themselves, but also to the different consonants and vowels surrounding them. Make sure that each word remains distinct as you increase your speed.

Start slowly:

坊主が上手にびょうぶに坊主の絵をかいた (ぼうずがじょうずにびょうぶにぼうずのえをかいた / Bōzu ga jōzu ni byōbu ni bōzu no e o kaita)

Once you find the rhythm, try it again a little faster.

What Can These Japanese Tongue Twisters Help You Practice?

Each of these 早口言葉 (はやくちことば / hayakuchi kotoba) presents a slightly different pronunciation challenge:

1. バスガス爆発 (ばすがすばくはつ / Basu gasu bakuhatsu): Clear consonants and rhythm

2. すもももももももものうち (Sumomo mo momo mo momo no uchi): Pitch accent and phrasing

3. バナナの謎は、まだ謎なのだぞ (ばななのなぞは、まだなぞなのだぞ / Banana no nazo wa, mada nazo nano da zo): あ /a/ and お /o/ vowel sequences

4. 坊主が上手にびょうぶに坊主の絵をかいた (ぼうずがじょうずにびょうぶにぼうずのえをかいた / Bōzu ga jōzu ni byōbu ni bōzu no e o kaita): Long vowels, consonants, and rhythm

This is one reason tongue twisters can be such useful pronunciation practice: rather than trying to improve "pronunciation" as one large skill, you can pay attention to a particular feature that you find challenging.

Ready for the Challenge? Say Each One 3 Times

Once you can comfortably say each tongue twister at a slower speed, try saying it three times in a row without making a mistake.

Remember that speed isn't the only goal. Prioritize clear sounds, accurate vowel length, and consistent Japanese rhythm. Speed can come later.

Ready?

1. バスガス爆発 (ばすがすばくはつ / Basu gasu bakuhatsu)

2. すもももももももものうち (Sumomo mo momo mo momo no uchi)

3. バナナの謎は、まだ謎なのだぞ (ばななのなぞは、まだなぞなのだぞ / Banana no nazo wa, mada nazo nano da zo)

4. 坊主が上手にびょうぶに坊主の絵をかいた (ぼうずがじょうずにびょうぶにぼうずのえをかいた / Bōzu ga jōzu ni byōbu ni bōzu no e o kaita)

Use the video above to practise along with me at different speeds. Review and repeat each one as many times as you need.

Keep Practising Your Japanese Pronunciation

How did you do? Are you feeling a little tongue-tied?

Don't worry if you can't say all four perfectly right away. Some tongue twisters are challenging even for native Japanese speakers!

Start slowly, identify the individual sounds that are giving you trouble, and gradually increase your speed while maintaining clear pronunciation and consistent rhythm.

There are many more 早口言葉 (hayakuchi kotoba) you can use to practise Japanese pronunciation. If you'd like another challenge, try the first set of Japanese tongue twisters and compare which pronunciation features you find easiest—and which ones require a little more practice.

And if you'd like to take your pronunciation practice further, you can explore my free Japanese pronunciation resources or learn more about Japanese Phonetics 101, my online course covering Japanese sounds, rhythm, mora timing, and pitch accent.

Have fun practising!

Frequently Asked Questions About Japanese Tongue Twisters (早口言葉/hayakuchi kotoba)

• What does 早口言葉 (hayakuchi kotoba) mean?

  早口言葉（はやくちことば / hayakuchi kotoba）is the Japanese term for a tongue twister. The word combines 早口（はやくち）, referring to fast speech or speaking quickly, with 言葉（ことば）, meaning "words" or "language."

  Japanese tongue twisters use combinations of similar or repeated sounds that become increasingly difficult to pronounce as you speak faster.

• Can Japanese tongue twisters improve my pronunciation?

  Yes! Tongue twisters can be a useful part of Japanese pronunciation practice because they require you to pay close attention to individual sounds, articulation, rhythm, and timing.

  Different tongue twisters can also target different challenges. The examples in this blog post provide practice with vowel sequences, long vowels, pitch accent, and Japanese rhythm.

• Should I say Japanese tongue twisters as fast as possible?

  Especially when you're first learning one, accuracy is more important than speed.

  Start slowly and identify any sounds or sections you find difficult. Once you can pronounce the entire phrase accurately and maintain a consistent rhythm, gradually increase your speed.

• Why is rhythm important in Japanese pronunciation?

  Japanese rhythm is generally organized around mora, which are units of timing. This differs from languages such as English, where rhythm is strongly influenced by stressed syllables.

  Learning to recognize and maintain Japanese mora timing can help with both pronunciation and listening comprehension.

• Can tongue twisters help me practise Japanese pitch accent?

  They can provide useful material for practising pitch accent, particularly when you have a reliable pronunciation model to listen to and imitate.

  For example, the tongue twister about peacches and plums can be used to practise how pitch patterns and phrasing work together. Rather than focusing only on saying all of the repeated も (mo) sounds correctly, listen to the complete phrase and try to reproduce its pitch and rhythm.

---

Want to learn more about Kokoro Communications and the services we offer?

Home | About | Services | Contact Us

---