Gliding vowels and r-vowels
12 phrasesHD
rain play eight
JA雨／遊ぶ／八
These vowels do not sit still. A diphthong slides from one vowel toward another in a single beat; an r-vowel pulls the tongue back and colours the whole sound. Hold either one steady and it turns into the wrong vowel.
eɪ is one sound with a moving mouth: it starts at ɛ and slides up toward ɪ inside a single beat. A Japanese エイ or Korean 에이 is two beats — say it as one glide and it becomes English.
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boat snow road
JAボート／雪／道
These vowels do not sit still. A diphthong slides from one vowel toward another in a single beat; an r-vowel pulls the tongue back and colours the whole sound. Hold either one steady and it turns into the wrong vowel.
oʊ slides from o toward ʊ, the lips rounding as it goes. Not the flat オー of Japanese — the mouth has to move.
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sky night ice
JA空／夜／氷
These vowels do not sit still. A diphthong slides from one vowel toward another in a single beat; an r-vowel pulls the tongue back and colours the whole sound. Hold either one steady and it turns into the wrong vowel.
aɪ opens wide at a and glides up to ɪ. The widest, most obvious of the glides — let the jaw drop first, then close.
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cloud down mouth
JA雲／下へ／口
These vowels do not sit still. A diphthong slides from one vowel toward another in a single beat; an r-vowel pulls the tongue back and colours the whole sound. Hold either one steady and it turns into the wrong vowel.
aʊ starts like aɪ but glides the other way — toward ʊ, the lips rounding shut instead of spreading.
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toy voice enjoy
JAおもちゃ／声／楽しむ
These vowels do not sit still. A diphthong slides from one vowel toward another in a single beat; an r-vowel pulls the tongue back and colours the whole sound. Hold either one steady and it turns into the wrong vowel.
ɔɪ glides from a rounded ɔ to ɪ — the lips start round and spread as the tongue comes forward.
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late let
JA遅い／させる
These vowels do not sit still. A diphthong slides from one vowel toward another in a single beat; an r-vowel pulls the tongue back and colours the whole sound. Hold either one steady and it turns into the wrong vowel.
The trap: eɪ (late) glides, ɛ (let) does not. Hold late still and it becomes let. The difference is the movement, not the length.
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so saw
JAそう／見た
These vowels do not sit still. A diphthong slides from one vowel toward another in a single beat; an r-vowel pulls the tongue back and colours the whole sound. Hold either one steady and it turns into the wrong vowel.
so glides (oʊ); saw is a single rounded ɔ that never moves. If so sounds like saw, the glide is missing.
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girl word learn
JA少女／語／学ぶ
These vowels do not sit still. A diphthong slides from one vowel toward another in a single beat; an r-vowel pulls the tongue back and colours the whole sound. Hold either one steady and it turns into the wrong vowel.
ɝ is a vowel and its r at once — the tongue is already curled or bunched before the sound starts. Do not say a vowel and then add an r; they are one.
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arm dark large
JA腕／暗い／大きい
These vowels do not sit still. A diphthong slides from one vowel toward another in a single beat; an r-vowel pulls the tongue back and colours the whole sound. Hold either one steady and it turns into the wrong vowel.
The mouth opens wide for ɑ, and the r pulls the tail of it back. American English says the r; a British car drops it.
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born short horse
JA生まれた／短い／馬
These vowels do not sit still. A diphthong slides from one vowel toward another in a single beat; an r-vowel pulls the tongue back and colours the whole sound. Hold either one steady and it turns into the wrong vowel.
A rounded ɔ with the r folded in. Keep the lips rounded through the r rather than releasing into a separate sound.
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chair fair wear
JA椅子／公平な／着る
These vowels do not sit still. A diphthong slides from one vowel toward another in a single beat; an r-vowel pulls the tongue back and colours the whole sound. Hold either one steady and it turns into the wrong vowel.
ɛ with an r-glide off the end. The vowel is the open ɛ of let, not the ache of eɪ — start low, then curl.
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fear clear beard
JA恐れ／明確な／あごひげ
These vowels do not sit still. A diphthong slides from one vowel toward another in a single beat; an r-vowel pulls the tongue back and colours the whole sound. Hold either one steady and it turns into the wrong vowel.
ɪ with the r pulling straight after it. Close to ee but slacker — say the vowel of sit, then let the r follow without a pause.
Gliding vowels and r-vowels in English: all 12 on one list
| English | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| rain play eight | /reɪn pleɪ eɪt/ | 雨／遊ぶ／八 |
| boat snow road | /boʊt snoʊ roʊd/ | ボート／雪／道 |
| sky night ice | /skaɪ naɪt aɪs/ | 空／夜／氷 |
| cloud down mouth | /klaʊd daʊn maʊθ/ | 雲／下へ／口 |
| toy voice enjoy | /tɔɪ vɔɪs ˌɛnˈdʒɔɪ/ | おもちゃ／声／楽しむ |
| late let | /leɪt lɛt/ | 遅い／させる |
| so saw | /soʊ sɔ/ | そう／見た |
| girl word learn | /ɡɜrl wɜrd lɜrn/ | 少女／語／学ぶ |
| arm dark large | /ɑrm dɑrk lɑrdʒ/ | 腕／暗い／大きい |
| born short horse | /bɔrn ʃɔrt hɔrs/ | 生まれた／短い／馬 |
| chair fair wear | /tʃɛr fɛr wɛr/ | 椅子／公平な／着る |
| fear clear beard | /fɪr klɪr bɪrd/ | 恐れ／明確な／あごひげ |
Gliding vowels and r-vowels in English - 12 phrases you can play on a loop until they stick. Each one shows the characters, the reading and the meaning in six languages.