Why Japanese is Hard to Learn

2014-01-17

This is mostly in response to the English is Hard to Learn meme

One of the first words you learn when studying Japanese is “iku” (行く)The word “to go”. So, given that it’s spelled

行 i
く ku

How do you think you pronounce these words?

行 ___
実行 ji___
行う ___u
膝行 i____
売れ行き ure___ki

Or about about this one. “iku” (生く). It means “to live” or “to be alive” So given that it’s spelled

生 i
く ku

How do you think you pronounce these words?

先生 sen___
一生 i___
芝生 shiba___
往生 ou___
千生り sen___ri
埴生 ha____
平生 hei___
弥生 ya ___
蓬生 yomo____
生り ___ri
相生 ai___
下生え shita___e
生える __eru

Answers:

gyou
実行 jikou
行う okonau
膝行 izari
売れ行き ureyuki

先生  sensei
一生  isshou
芝生  shibafu
往生 oujou
千生り sennari
埴生 hanyuu
平生  heizei
弥生  yayoi
蓬生  yomogiu
生り  namari
相生 aioi
下生え shitabae
生える haeru

All languages have their quirks. ☺

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