How is 'w' pronounced?


When I listen to "watashi wa", for example, sometimes I have the impression
that the 'w' sounds like 'v' as in "vial" or "violence" in English (Similar to
'w' in the German Language). Nevertheless, I also have the impression of
listening 'w' as in "wonderful" sometimes, so I'm confused. Do the Japanese
use both sounds? How 'w' is pronounced?




There is no "w", except in "wa", so you only have to learn that. And it helps
to see a Japanese MC on tv with a microphone and a constant toothy grin, while
talking furiously. This is an important key, because it demonstrates that
Japanese can be spoken without ever moving the lips sideways. So the beginning
of the 'wa' syllable is basically done by opening your lips like a letterbox,
with purely vertical movement.

In loanwords, the combinations ウィ, ウェ, and ウォ also occur, but again these can
be made with the microphone and grin uninterrupted, simply moving the lips
vertically. But what cannot occur is ウゥ: not only does it not make sense,
since you would be replacing the end of a vowel with itself, but typically
Japanese speakers find it essentially impossible to pronounce (e.g.)
"Woolworths", which demands that the "w" represents a sideways opening of the
lips (twice!)




There is no "w", except in "wa", so you only have to learn that. And it helps
to see a Japanese MC on tv with a microphone and a constant toothy grin, while
talking furiously. This is an important key, because it demonstrates that
Japanese can be spoken without ever moving the lips sideways. So the beginning
of the 'wa' syllable is basically done by opening your lips like a letterbox,
with purely vertical movement.

In loanwords, the combinations ウィ, ウェ, and ウォ also occur, but again these can
be made with the microphone and grin uninterrupted, simply moving the lips
vertically. But what cannot occur is ウゥ: not only does it not make sense,
since you would be replacing the end of a vowel with itself, but typically
Japanese speakers find it essentially impossible to pronounce (e.g.)
"Woolworths", which demands that the "w" represents a sideways opening of the
lips (twice!)

