Single vowels
11 phrasesHD
green tea sea
JA緑／茶／海
Before the pairs, the vowels one at a time. Each card holds three ordinary words built on the same vowel; say them in a row and the sound settles. These are the eleven the whole language is built from — get them singly and the pairs come easier.
HD
big fish gift
JA大きい／魚／贈り物
Before the pairs, the vowels one at a time. Each card holds three ordinary words built on the same vowel; say them in a row and the sound settles. These are the eleven the whole language is built from — get them singly and the pairs come easier.
ɪ, not a short ee. The tongue drops and the mouth goes slack — say ee, then loosen everything. A tense イ turns big into beeg.
HD
red egg belt
JA赤／卵／ベルト
Before the pairs, the vowels one at a time. Each card holds three ordinary words built on the same vowel; say them in a row and the sound settles. These are the eleven the whole language is built from — get them singly and the pairs come easier.
HD
black flag jazz
JA黒／旗／ジャズ
Before the pairs, the vowels one at a time. Each card holds three ordinary words built on the same vowel; say them in a row and the sound settles. These are the eleven the whole language is built from — get them singly and the pairs come easier.
æ opens wide and flat, the jaw down and the sound spread, halfway to ah. Open it further than feels right — a timid æ collapses into ɛ (bed) or ʌ (cut).
HD
hot box rock
JA熱い／箱／岩
Before the pairs, the vowels one at a time. Each card holds three ordinary words built on the same vowel; say them in a row and the sound settles. These are the eleven the whole language is built from — get them singly and the pairs come easier.
ɑ is the mouth wide open, tongue low and back, lips unrounded. In American English the letter o is usually this — not a rounded o. Drop the jaw and do not round.
HD
law wall fault
JA法／壁／欠点
Before the pairs, the vowels one at a time. Each card holds three ordinary words built on the same vowel; say them in a row and the sound settles. These are the eleven the whole language is built from — get them singly and the pairs come easier.
HD
wood foot push
JA木材／足／押す
Before the pairs, the vowels one at a time. Each card holds three ordinary words built on the same vowel; say them in a row and the sound settles. These are the eleven the whole language is built from — get them singly and the pairs come easier.
ʊ rounds the lips loosely and lets go at once — short and relaxed, not the long tight u of food. Keep it back and slack.
HD
blue moon spoon
JA青／月／スプーン
Before the pairs, the vowels one at a time. Each card holds three ordinary words built on the same vowel; say them in a row and the sound settles. These are the eleven the whole language is built from — get them singly and the pairs come easier.
HD
sun jump bug
JA太陽／跳ぶ／虫
Before the pairs, the vowels one at a time. Each card holds three ordinary words built on the same vowel; say them in a row and the sound settles. These are the eleven the whole language is built from — get them singly and the pairs come easier.
HD
banana sofa problem
JAバナナ／ソファ／問題
Before the pairs, the vowels one at a time. Each card holds three ordinary words built on the same vowel; say them in a row and the sound settles. These are the eleven the whole language is built from — get them singly and the pairs come easier.
The schwa is the sound of a syllable with no stress on it — the tongue at rest, saying almost nothing. It hides in the parts of the word you rush past: bəNANə, SOFə, PROBləm.
HD
her nurse shirt
JA彼女の／看護師／シャツ
Before the pairs, the vowels one at a time. Each card holds three ordinary words built on the same vowel; say them in a row and the sound settles. These are the eleven the whole language is built from — get them singly and the pairs come easier.
ɝ is a vowel with the r built in — the tongue bunched or curled from the start. Not 'uh' then 'r' in sequence; one steady r-coloured sound held through the word.
Single vowels in English: all 11 on one list
| English | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| green tea sea | /ɡrin ti si/ | 緑／茶／海 |
| big fish gift | /bɪɡ fɪʃ ɡɪft/ | 大きい／魚／贈り物 |
| red egg belt | /rɛd ɛɡ bɛlt/ | 赤／卵／ベルト |
| black flag jazz | /blæk flæɡ dʒæz/ | 黒／旗／ジャズ |
| hot box rock | /hɑt bɑks rɑk/ | 熱い／箱／岩 |
| law wall fault | /lɔ wɔl fɔlt/ | 法／壁／欠点 |
| wood foot push | /wʊd fʊt pʊʃ/ | 木材／足／押す |
| blue moon spoon | /blu mun spun/ | 青／月／スプーン |
| sun jump bug | /sʌn dʒʌmp bʌɡ/ | 太陽／跳ぶ／虫 |
| banana sofa problem | /bəˈnænə ˈsoʊfə ˈprɑbləm/ | バナナ／ソファ／問題 |
| her nurse shirt | /hɜr nɜrs ʃɜrt/ | 彼女の／看護師／シャツ |
Single vowels in English - 11 phrases you can play on a loop until they stick. Each one shows the characters, the reading and the meaning in six languages.