Web Japanese Listening exercise

Web Japanese
Listening exercise
Basic words and phrases
Loan words

Here we introduce some loan words (外来語- Gairaigo) that we use on a daily basis. We have selected words that sound very different from the original pronunciation (so that it is hard to identify the original words) and some that have changed meanings.

Notes

Most words in Katakana come from foreign words and they are likely to be English.
The longer foreign words are used in Japan, the more they become harmonised with Japanese and the more their pronunciation and meanings change.
Relatively new words like those associated with personal computers are pronounced similar to English.
Generally speaking, over time, the intonation in the word tends to be moderated regardless of when the word was introduced to Japan.

No	Japanese	Roman	-	Listen!	Download sound files.
					MP3	AAC
					slow	slow
1. Words that now sound like Japanese. → They are mostly English words and their pronunciations have changed considerably.
001	カロリー	Karorii	calorie
002	エスカレーター	Esukareetaa	escalator
003	マンション	Manshon	condominium building ; apartment
2. Abbreviation → Long words tend to be abbreviated to 4 characters or less, which might have some connection to the fact that there are about 100,000 Japanese surnames and most of them consist of 4 characters or less.
004	スーパー	Suupaa	supermarket
005	パソコン	Pasokon	personal computer
006	コンビニ	Konbini	convenience store
007	エアコン	Eakon	air conditioner
008	リハビリ	Rihabiri	rehabilitation
009	ワープロ	Waapuro	word processor
010	ビル	Biru	building
011	テレビ	Terebi	TV
012	プロ	Puro	professional
013	アニメ	Anime	animation film ; cartoon film
014	エステ	Esute	esthetic clinic
015	ヘリ	Heri	helicopter
016	セクハラ	Sekuhara	sexual harassment
3. In our daily life → Words that are used on a daily basis.
017	ロッカー	Rokkaa	locker
018	カード	Kaado	card
019	ポイント	Pointo	point
020	レンタカー	Rentakaa	rent-a-car ; hire car
021	ガソリンスタンド	Gasorin-sutando	gas station ; garage
022	レストラン	Resutoran	restaurant
023	シュークリーム	Shuukuriimu	chou ; cream puff
024	ボタン	Botan	button
025	タオル	Taoru	sweat rag ; towel
026	バイク	Baiku	motorcycle ; bike
027	ラジオ	Rajio	Radio
028	コップ	Koppu	cup ; glass
029	レンジ	Renji	kitchen microwave
030	ティッシュ	Tisshu	Kleenex ; tissue
031	パン	Pan	bread
032	ポット	Potto	carafe
033	サラダ	Sarada	crudites ; salad
034	ファックス	Fakkusu	facsimile telegraph ; fax machine
035	ボールペン	Boorupen	ballpoint pen
4. Personal belongings → Clothing or cosmetics
036	セーター	Seetaa	sweater
037	マフラー	Mafuraa	muffler
038	ワンピース	Wanpiisu	one-piece sui
039	ズボン	Zubon	bottoms ; trousers
040	ハンカチ	Hankachi	handkerchief
041	シャツ	Shatsu	shirt
5. Zougo and names of brands/products, etc → Zougo ( new words) words in Katakana and some others that can have different meanings from the original words.
042	メール	Meeru	e mail
043	サラリーマン	Sarariiman	corporate employee ; salaried employee
044	カラオケ	Karaoke	karaoke
045	スタバ	Sutaba	Starbucks
046	マクドナルド	Makudonarudo	MacDonald's
6. Names of counties, etc → Names of countries are pronounced in a mixed mode using English and the languages spoken in those countries.
047	ユーロ	Yuuro	Euro ; Europe's unified currency
048	ヨーロッパ	Yooroppa	Europe
049	アジア	Ajia	Asia
050	ギリシャ	Girisha	Greece
051	トルコ	Toruko	Turkey
052	フランス	Furansu	France
053	オランダ	Oranda	Netherlands
054	イタリア	Itaria	Italy
055	ドル	Doru	dollar
056	アルゼンチン	Aruzenchin	Argentina
7. Others
057	テーマ	Teema	theme
058	アルバイト	Arubaito	part-time employment
059	モデル	Moderu	model
060	リサイクル	Risaikuru	recycle
061	マナー	Manaa	manner
062	グラム	Guramu	gram