Weak forms and schwa
11 phrasesHD
a cup of tea
JA一杯の紅茶
The small grammar words have two shapes: a strong one, said alone, and a weak one, used in the stream of speech. Running together, to is tə, and is ən, of is əv, for is fər, than is ðən — the vowel hollowed out to a schwa. The card shows the dictionary form; the weak form is what you will actually hear, and using it is what makes speech sound like speech rather than a list of words.
Nobody says 'of' with a full vowel here. It shrinks to əv, and often to just ə: a CUPpə TEA. The stressed words are cup and tea; everything between them gets out of the way.
HD
fish and chips
JAフィッシュアンドチップス
The small grammar words have two shapes: a strong one, said alone, and a weak one, used in the stream of speech. Running together, to is tə, and is ən, of is əv, for is fər, than is ðən — the vowel hollowed out to a schwa. The card shows the dictionary form; the weak form is what you will actually hear, and using it is what makes speech sound like speech rather than a list of words.
'and' almost disappears — no a, no d, just an n holding the two words together: fish-n-chips. Say the full 'and' and it sounds oddly formal.
HD
bread and butter
JAパンとバター
The small grammar words have two shapes: a strong one, said alone, and a weak one, used in the stream of speech. Running together, to is tə, and is ən, of is əv, for is fər, than is ðən — the vowel hollowed out to a schwa. The card shows the dictionary form; the weak form is what you will actually hear, and using it is what makes speech sound like speech rather than a list of words.
HD
cats and dogs
JA猫と犬
The small grammar words have two shapes: a strong one, said alone, and a weak one, used in the stream of speech. Running together, to is tə, and is ən, of is əv, for is fər, than is ðən — the vowel hollowed out to a schwa. The card shows the dictionary form; the weak form is what you will actually hear, and using it is what makes speech sound like speech rather than a list of words.
HD
for a while
JAしばらく
The small grammar words have two shapes: a strong one, said alone, and a weak one, used in the stream of speech. Running together, to is tə, and is ən, of is əv, for is fər, than is ðən — the vowel hollowed out to a schwa. The card shows the dictionary form; the weak form is what you will actually hear, and using it is what makes speech sound like speech rather than a list of words.
HD
wait for me
JA待って
The small grammar words have two shapes: a strong one, said alone, and a weak one, used in the stream of speech. Running together, to is tə, and is ən, of is əv, for is fər, than is ðən — the vowel hollowed out to a schwa. The card shows the dictionary form; the weak form is what you will actually hear, and using it is what makes speech sound like speech rather than a list of words.
HD
look at that
JAあれを見て
The small grammar words have two shapes: a strong one, said alone, and a weak one, used in the stream of speech. Running together, to is tə, and is ən, of is əv, for is fər, than is ðən — the vowel hollowed out to a schwa. The card shows the dictionary form; the weak form is what you will actually hear, and using it is what makes speech sound like speech rather than a list of words.
HD
faster than ever
JAかつてなく速く
The small grammar words have two shapes: a strong one, said alone, and a weak one, used in the stream of speech. Running together, to is tə, and is ən, of is əv, for is fər, than is ðən — the vowel hollowed out to a schwa. The card shows the dictionary form; the weak form is what you will actually hear, and using it is what makes speech sound like speech rather than a list of words.
HD
as good as new
JA新品同様
The small grammar words have two shapes: a strong one, said alone, and a weak one, used in the stream of speech. Running together, to is tə, and is ən, of is əv, for is fər, than is ðən — the vowel hollowed out to a schwa. The card shows the dictionary form; the weak form is what you will actually hear, and using it is what makes speech sound like speech rather than a list of words.
HD
a lot of noise
JA大きな音
The small grammar words have two shapes: a strong one, said alone, and a weak one, used in the stream of speech. Running together, to is tə, and is ən, of is əv, for is fər, than is ðən — the vowel hollowed out to a schwa. The card shows the dictionary form; the weak form is what you will actually hear, and using it is what makes speech sound like speech rather than a list of words.
HD
some of them
JAそのうちのいくつか
The small grammar words have two shapes: a strong one, said alone, and a weak one, used in the stream of speech. Running together, to is tə, and is ən, of is əv, for is fər, than is ðən — the vowel hollowed out to a schwa. The card shows the dictionary form; the weak form is what you will actually hear, and using it is what makes speech sound like speech rather than a list of words.
Weak forms and schwa 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.