Vowels

The pronunciation of short vowels is similar to that of Italian:

• a as in f(a)ther
• e as in g(e)t
• i as in macaron(i)
• o as in p(o)lo
• u as in p(u)t or b(ook)

Long vowels (represented here by upper-case letters) should be pronounced twice as long as short vowels:

• A as in dr(a)ma or (ah)
• E as in M(ay)
• I as in kn(ee)
• O as in (ow)n
• U as in c(oo)l

Consonants

ts(u) This is pronounced as in the phrase, "It's oolong tea" ["I(t's oo)long tea"]

A double consonant (e.g. _hokke_ , or mackerel, or _matcha_, or powdered green tea) is indicated by a syllable-length pause in speech before pronouncing the following consonant (as in the English phrase "It's hot today," in which the final T in "hot" is partially replaced by a short pause).

A consonant followed by a "y" and then by a vowel (as in _gyUniku_, or beef) is pronounced as one syllable. (In this case the _yU_ is pronounced as in the English word "(u)se.")