About relaxed pronunciation
In Japanese, there are different ways to speak to different people and in different situations. English is the
same. You speak differently with your friends than with a teacher or your boss. You use different words and
use formal or informal forms of words.
When native English speakers speak in a relaxed way, they put words together and shorten other words.
Learning this will help you understand when native speakers speak quickly and you will be able to speak
quickly and naturally too!
You can even write some of the relaxed forms when emailing friends or commenting on websites. But
remember, don’t use relaxed pronunciation for speeches, professional presentations or school papers!
The Schwa – [ə]
The Schwa sound [ə] is a short and soft vowel (母音) sound.
It is found in many English words like: a, the, about, banana.
It is used a lot in English and especially in relaxed pronunciation.
Let’s practice the Schwa sound! The [ə] is in bold letters.
Words:
7.
a
1.
father
13. alone
8.
the
2.
banana
14. sofa
9.
about
3.
carrot
15. system
10. around
4.
atlas
16. circus
11. present
5.
answer
17. company
12. suggest
6.
letter
Sentences:
1.
I have a carrot and a banana
2.
The atlas contains a lot of maps
3.
I will answer this letter
4.
Father went around the apartment
5.
The company will give us telephones
6.
She was alone on the sofa
7.
The circus performance is about to start
8.
He suggested a system
Relaxed pronunciation.
When native English speakers speak quickly, they put some sounds together, don’t use some sounds or
change the sounds in words.
The most used sound is the Schwa [ə], like in “a” or “the”.
We also use contractions like in She’s, I’ve, and so on.
Note: When emailing your friends or in other informal situations, you can sometimes use the written relaxed form. There
are some relaxed forms you should NOT write. Don’t write the relaxed forms which are underlined!
Example: You can’t write D’you’ve or typa. But you can write kinda and gonna.
Standard Pronunciation
Relaxed Pronunciation
Would
It would be nice to see you soon.
It’d be nice to see you soon.
I would rather go home.
I’d rather go home. (Hint: It’s OK to write It’d be…)
Have
Do you have any plans?
D’you’ve any plans?
(Hint: It’s not OK to write D’you’ve…)
I have a headache.
I’ve a headache.
She has been practicing a lot.
She’s been practicing a lot.
He had been playing all day.
He’d been playing all day
It has been raining every day
It’s been raining every day.
Of
She looks kind of tired.
She looks kinda tired.
^-- Kind of = ちょっと
Apples are a kind of fruit.
Apples are a kinda fruit.
^-- a kind of = a type of
K-pop is my favorite type of music.
K-pop of my favorite typa music
I’m getting out of here at 5:00.
I’m getting outta here at 5:00.
To
I’m going to call you later.
I’m gonna call you later.
She’s going to visit her sister.
She’s gonna visit her sister.
^-- Only “going to + verb”  “gonna”.
I’ve got to go shopping.
[ I’m going to the library
I’m gonna the library
I’ve gotta go shopping.
^-- I have got to = I must / I have to
You’ve got to study harder.
You’ve gotta study harder.
I / You have to practice English more
I / You hafta practice English more.
She has to sing tomorrow.
She hasta sing tomorrow.
I want to go watch a movie.
I wanna go watch a movie.
I want to
I wanna eat cake.
eat cake.
]
You
“You”  “ya” (Sounds like  や+ ə) or “ja” / “cha” (Sounds like  じゃ+ ə)
Do you know his phone number?
D’ya know his phone number?
Do you play soccer?
D’ya play soccer?
Did you do your homework?
Didja do your homework?
Did you have breakfast?
Didja have breakfast?
Don’t you have class now?
Dontcha have class now?
Why don’t you come with me?
Why dontcha come with me?
Aren’t you a high school student?
Aren’tcha a high school student?
You’re a high school student, aren’t you?
You’re a high school student, aren’tcha?
What are you doing?
What’cha doing?
Let me get you a snack.
Let me getcha a snack.
We got you a present.
We gotcha a present.
よっしゃ、分かりました,捕まえた
Gotcha!
Would you help me make dinner?
Wouldja help me make dinner?
Could you help me with this?
Couldja help me with this?
Them
“Them”  “ ‘em “ [əm] after consonants (子音) only!
Can you tell them about the test?
Can you tell’em about the test?
She made cake for them.
She made cake for’em.
Others
I don’t know.
I dunno.
I don’t know where she is.
I dunno where she is.
Let me see…
Lemme see…
Let me know what he says.
Lemme know what he says.
Can you give me a cookie?
Can you gimme a cookie?
Give me the pen please.
Gimme the pen please.
Because I’m late.
‘Cause I’m late.
Change the following dialogs into relaxed form.
1. A: Would you like to join the tennis team?
____________________ like to join the tennis team?
B: Yeah, I would love to!
Yeah, ___________ love to!
2. A: Do you want to meet me at 4:00pm?
_____________________________ meet me at 4:00pm?
B: Sorry, I have something to do today.
Sorry, ______________________ to do today.
3. A: What are you doing later?
__________________ doing later?
B: I have to go see my teacher.
I __________________ go see my teacher.
4. A: I don’t know where the store is.
________________ where the store is.
B: Hold on, let me check the map.
Hold on, ____________________ check the map.
5. A: I’m going to the store. Do you want me to get you anything?
I’m _______________ to the store. _____________ want me to _________________ anything?
B: Yes! Can you get me some kind of candy?
Yes! Can you get me some ________________ candy?
A: Sure. But give me some money first.
Sure. But _____________________ some money first.
Listen to the relaxed sentences and write them in standard form.
1. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
4. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
5. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
6. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
1. I’d been feelin’ kinda sick  I had been feeling kind of sick.
2. I’m gonna study hard ‘cause I hafta pass the test.  I’m going to study hard because I have to pass the
test.
3. You’ve gotta get outta the bath soon.  You have got to get out of the bath soon.
4. Didja know she hasta go home tomorrow?  Did you know she has to go home tomorrow?
5. Make a cake for’em. You’re a baker, arentcha?  Make a cake for them. You’re a baker, aren’t you?
6. Dontcha know who he is?  Don’t you know who he is?