Japanese · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "生まれる" in Japanese?

Q: How do you pronounce 生まれる in Japanese?

生まれる is pronounced with the stress described below. In IPA it is written /ɯ.ma.ɾe.ɾɯ/. It means “to be born.” u-ma-re-ru, four even beats with two taps in a row near the end.

u-ma-re-ru, four even beats with two taps in a row near the end.

生まれる /ɯ.ma.ɾe.ɾɯ/

umareru

Four units, no one of them longer, with the pitch cresting on re. Two taps in close succession invite slowing down, which throws the rhythm off; keep the tempo constant and let each tap be quick and light. The word should not feel like it has a difficult patch in the middle.

Listen: 生まれる

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Sound it out

u An unrounded high back vowel opening the word — lips flat, not pursed. Starting a word on this vowel is awkward for English speakers, who instinctively round it.

ma A lip closure for the m, then a short bright a. The only mora in the word with an open vowel.

re First tap: the tongue tip touches the ridge and leaves, then a short fixed e.

ru Second tap, and this is where it gets difficult — two taps separated by only one vowel. Reset the tongue completely between them so neither becomes a trill or a sustained r.

Hear it in a sentence

私は日本で生まれました。

Watashi wa Nihon de umaremashita.

I was born in Japan.

Listen: 私は日本で生まれました。

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私は日本で生まれました gives the past form, five morae ending with a devoiced-prone shi-ta. 日本 in the middle is three morae (ni-ho-n) with a nasal beat at the end. Note that here it's read "nihon," not "nippon" — both readings exist, and this one keeps three beats rather than four.

Where English speakers slip

The double tap defeats most learners, who produce "oo-ma-RAY-roo" with a single long English r covering both positions and a stressed diphthong in the middle. Separate them: re, then ru, with the tongue fully returning to rest between. Also unround that opening u, which English mouths automatically purse.