おばさん vs おばあさん: the pronunciation difference
おばさん is 4 beats; おばあさん holds the vowel one beat longer (ー) and is 5 beats.
Meaning and beats
| Example | Meaning | Beats |
|---|---|---|
| おばさんおばさん · obasan | aunt / middle-aged woman |
|
| おばあさんおばあさん · obaasan | grandmother / elderly woman |
|
What changes
おばさん is 4 beats; おばあさん holds the vowel one beat longer (ー) and is 5 beats.
A long vowel keeps the same sound for two beats. Cut it short and ビール (beer) becomes ビル (building).
In a sentence
- 駅で、おばさんに道を聞きました。
- 日曜日に、おばあさんへ電話します。
Test yourself
Record one of the words. Mora compares your recording with that word and with its pair, then shows which one it sounds closer to.