JPEdLab Mora

Small っ: a silent beat

Small っ is a one-beat pause before the next consonant. 来て (come) and 切って (cut) differ only by that pause.

肩shoulder
  1. か
  2. た
2 beatsPractice
買ったbought
  1. か
  2. っ
  3. た
3 beatsPractice
The っ box is silent but still one beat.

What to do on っ

Next soundWhat to doExample
k · t · p · chClose and hold, silently
切って
  1. き
  2. っ
  3. て
一分
  1. い
  2. っ
  3. ぷ
  4. ん
s · shKeep the hiss going
あっさり
  1. あ
  2. っ
  3. さ
  4. り

How to say it

  1. Say きて, then add a pause before て: き・(pause)・て.

  2. Hold the pause for about one kana.

  3. Keep the vowel before っ short.

Common mistakes for English speakers

  • Skipping the pause

    English has no double consonants inside words, so 切って becomes 来て. Think of the gap in “bookcase”.

  • Stretching the vowel instead

    きいて is a different mistake. Keep き short and hold the consonant.

In the pronunciation test

Prompts compare your recording with the version without っ, e.g. 切って vs 来て.

Take the free pronunciation test

Listen and practice

Each set differs by one beat or sound. Listen, then practice.

肩shoulder
  1. か
  2. た
2 beatsPractice
買ったbought
  1. か
  2. っ
  3. た
3 beatsPractice
鳩pigeon
  1. は
  2. と
2 beatsPractice
ハットhat
  1. は
  2. っ
  3. と
3 beatsPractice
過去past
  1. か
  2. こ
2 beatsPractice
カッコparentheses
  1. か
  2. っ
  3. こ
3 beatsPractice
音sound
  1. お
  2. と
2 beatsPractice
夫husband
  1. お
  2. っ
  3. と
3 beatsPractice
北north
  1. き
  2. た
2 beatsPractice
切ったcut (past)
  1. き
  2. っ
  3. た
3 beatsPractice
またagain
  1. ま
  2. た
2 beatsPractice
待ったwaited
  1. ま
  2. っ
  3. た
3 beatsPractice
あさりclam
  1. あ
  2. さ
  3. り
3 beatsPractice
あっさりlightly / simply
  1. あ
  2. っ
  3. さ
  4. り
4 beatsPractice
してdo (te-form)
  1. し
  2. て
2 beatsPractice
知ってknow (te-form)
  1. し
  2. っ
  3. て
3 beatsPractice

Audio uses a generated reference voice.

Teaching references