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PRONUNCIATION: BASIC SOUNDS
The N Sound and the N-G Sound
/n/ and /ŋ/

GOAL

I can make the N sound and the N-G sound.

TRY IT!

Read the sentence below.

I like taking pictures of the moon in the evening.

SOUNDS

Learn how to pronounce today's sounds.
Sound Profile

/n/

Voicing

yes

Mouth

Lips

Teeth

Tongue

the tip of the tongue touching behind the top front teeth ➡ dropped down

Jaw

Steps

  1. Press the tip of your tongue behind your top front teeth.

  2. Make a voiced sound. At the same time, drop your tongue down.

  3. Air should come out of your nose.

Katakana Otoshiana

The way you form the N sound in English is very close to the way you form the katakana nagyo (ナ行) sounds. However, the katakana n (ン) sound is formed differently and sounds more nasal.

 

nice ➡ naisu (ナイス) = similar

pen ➡ pen (ペン) = too nasal

 

Be careful to always pronounce the N sound the same way in English!

/ŋ/

Voicing

yes

Mouth

slightly open

Lips

Teeth

Tongue

the back of the tongue touching the far back of the mouth (on top)

Jaw

Steps

  1. Slightly open your mouth.

  2. Press the back of your tongue up against the far back of your mouth.

  3. Make a voiced sound.

  4. Air should come out of your nose.

Katakana Otoshiana

When English words ending with the N-G sound are written in katakana, a vowel sound is added after them.

 

jogging ➡ jogingu (ジョギング)

shopping ➡ shoppingu (ショッピング)

ring ➡ ringu (リング)

 

Be careful not to add the vowel sound in English!

Steps

  1. Press the tip of your tongue behind your top front teeth.

  2. Make a voiced sound. At the same time, drop your tongue down.

  3. Air should come out of your nose.

Steps

  1. Slightly open your mouth.

  2. Press the back of your tongue up against the far back of your mouth.

  3. Make a voiced sound.

  4. Air should come out of your nose.

Katakana Otoshiana

The way you form the N sound in English is very close to the way you form the katakana nagyo (ナ行) sounds. However, the katakana n (ン) sound is formed differently and sounds more nasal.

 

nice ➡ naisu (ナイス) = similar

pen ➡ pen (ペン) = too nasal

 

Be careful to always pronounce the N sound the same way in English!

Katakana Otoshiana

When English words ending with the N-G sound are written in katakana, a vowel sound is added after them.

 

jogging ➡ jogingu (ジョギング)

shopping ➡ shoppingu (ショッピング)

ring ➡ ringu (リング)

 

Be careful not to add the vowel sound in English!

WORDS

Practice today’s sounds in the words below.

/n/

neck

night

nose

moon

pin

pen

/ŋ/

ping-pong

king

long

wing

hang

wrong

SENTENCES

Practice today’s sounds in the sentences below.

/n/

  1. Nick needs nine pins.
  2. My phone won’t connect to the internet.
  3. Nina’s nose and neck hurt.
  4. The moon looked really nice last night.
  5. I left my pen and notes in Ned’s new car.

/ŋ/

  1. Blue whales have long tongues.
  2. The old king is still strong.
  3. I like singing love songs.
  4. I’ll bring the clothes and hang them outside.
  5. Kate played ping-pong during spring break.

/n/ + /ŋ/

  1. Nancy chose the wrong man.
  2. Jing’s mom cooked fried chicken wings for dinner.
  3. Nikki’s new phone is ringing.
  4. The young king is only nineteen years old.
  5. Nate will bring the net for the ping-pong game tonight.

DIALOGUES

Practice today’s sounds in the dialogues below.

/n/

Student:

Don’t go near the forest at night!
Tutor:

Why not? It’s not that scary.
Student:

Natalie saw a woman with a bloody neck there last night!
Tutor:

What? I went there last night, but I didn’t see her.
Student:

Maybe the woman was right behind you!

/ŋ/

Student:

Ugh. That was a long ping-pong game.
Tutor:

Yeah. Both players were playing strong.
Student:

Well, I’m hoping the other games won’t be too long.
Tutor:

Me too! Long games must be tiring for the players.
Student:

And boring for us! Look! That guy is sleeping!

/n/ + /ŋ/

Tutor:

Oh, the moon’s shining really bright tonight!
Student:

I know! I want to take a picture of it, but I didn’t bring my phone!
Tutor:

Oh, well… Don’t forget to bring your phone next time.
Student:

I won‘t. I like taking pictures of the moon in the evening.

TRY IT AGAIN!

Reread the sentence below.

I like taking pictures of the moon in the evening.