What is the /tʃ/ sound?

について /tʃ/ sound is a voiceless affricate. This means:

• Your vocal cords do not vibrate when you make this sound.
• You stop the air quickly with the front of your tongue against the roof of your mouth, then release it suddenly.
• It sounds like a ‘t’ and a ‘sh’ sound together, but very fast.

Common spellings for /tʃ/ include:

• ch: as in chair, much, teacher
• tch: as in watch, catch, kitchen
• t (sometimes, before u): as in picture, future

What is the /dʒ/ sound?

について /dʒ/ sound is a voiced affricate. This means:

• Your vocal cords vibrate when you make this sound. You can feel it if you touch your throat.
• You stop the air quickly with the front of your tongue against the roof of your mouth, then release it suddenly.
• It sounds like a 'd' and a 'zh' sound together, but very fast.

Common spellings for /dʒ/ include:

• j: as in juice, job, jacket
• g (before e, i, y): as in large, page, gym
• dg: as in bridge, judge, edge
• d (sometimes, before u): as in education, procedure

How to Make the Sounds: Step-by-Step

To make both /tʃ/ そして /dʒ/ sounds:

• Step 1: Tongue Position. Raise the front part of your tongue to touch the hard ridge behind your upper front teeth.
• Step 2: Stop the Air. Briefly stop the air completely behind your tongue.
• Step 3: Release the Air. Quickly release the air, letting it escape through a narrow opening.

The only difference between /tʃ/ そして /dʒ/ is your voice:

• ～について /tʃ/, keep your voice off. It's just air.
• ～について /dʒ/, turn your voice on. Make your vocal cords vibrate.

例

• I like to eat cheese for lunch.
• The teacher gave us a new challenge.
• My jacket is too large.
• Can you pass me the orange juice?
• The children play on the bridge.
• He needs to change his job.

練習

スペイン語話者がよく犯す間違い

Spanish speakers often make the /tʃ/ sound well, as it is similar to the 'ch' in words like 'mucho'. However, sometimes they might confuse /tʃ/ with the /ʃ/ sound（例えば shoe). Remember, /tʃ/ has a quick stop before the air is released, unlike /ʃ/.

～について /dʒ/, the main challenge is making it voiced. Sometimes it sounds like a voiceless /tʃ/ or a soft 'y' sound. Always remember to vibrate your vocal cords for /dʒ/. Practice feeling the vibration in your throat to ensure you are making the correct voiced sound.

よくある質問

What is the main difference between /tʃ/ and /dʒ/?

The main difference is voicing. /tʃ/ is voiceless (no throat vibration), as in chip. /dʒ/ is voiced (throat vibrates), as in jeep. The mouth position is the same for both.

How can I practice these sounds?

Practice by saying minimal pairs like chair そして jar, 、または choke そして joke. Pay attention to your throat: feel for vibration for /dʒ/ and no vibration for /tʃ/. Listen to native speakers and try to imitate them.

Why is it important to pronounce /tʃ/ and /dʒ/ correctly?

Correct pronunciation helps you speak clearly and be understood. Mispronouncing these sounds can sometimes change the meaning of a word, for example, confusing chop with job, 、または cheer with jeer.