TUFS Language Modules

The consonants of the za ( ザ ) -column are difficult sounds to native speakers of languages that do not possess these sounds. Learners may sound like little Japanese children if they mispronounce the za ( ザ ) -column sounds, which is why extra attention is needed when producing these sounds.

First of all, some learners commit the errors of pronouncing za, zu, ze , zo ( ざ、ず、ぜ、ぞ ) as ja, ju, je, jo ( じゃ、じゅ、じぇ、じょ ) . These errors occur when the positions of articulation are incorrect. (Examples ： ザッシ za sshi (magazine)→ ジャ ッシ ja sshi 、 ゼロ ze ro → ジェロ je ro 、 ゼ ンゼ ン ze nze n (not at all)→ ジェ ンジェ ン je njen 、スズキ Suzuki (a person's name)→ スジュキ sujuki 、カズ kazu (number)→ カジュ kaju 、ドウゾ dōzo (please)→ ドウジョ dōjo . ) When producing the za, zu, ze, zo （ ざ、ず、ぜ、ぞ ) sounds, the position at where the tongue makes a narrow opening near the palate is closer to the front compared to the ja, ju, je, jo ( じゃ、じゅ、じぇ、じょ ) . sounds.

Furthermore, some learners make the errors of pronouncing za, zu, ze, zo （ざ、ず、ぜ、ぞ ) as sa, su, se, so( さ、す、せ、そ ) (Example ： ゼンブ zenbu (altogether)→ センブ senbu ), and also ji ( じ ) as chi ( ち ) . (Examples ： ジカン jikan (time)→ チカン chikan 、 ジッケン jikken (experiment)→ チッケン chikken. These errors occur when the vocal cords are not in vibration when pronouncing the sounds.