Ask a Japanese Teacher! Why does DESU sound like DESS?

Sign up in seconds. Access 100s of audio and video lessons and start speaking like a native speaker.

Step 2: Sign up in seconds for a Free Lifetime Account.
Step 3: Start learning Japanese the fast, fun and easy way!

Let's get to the point: you've got questions and you don't want to sift through textbooks for the answer. Ask a teacher!

In series, Japanese teacher extraordinaire Hiroko will take the questions you've been asking and lay them out in an easy-to-follow format. Turn those question marks into exclamation points and get on with your Japanese study!

Also, please LIKE, SHARE and COMMENT on our videos! We really appreciate it. Thanks!

#Japanese #LearnJapanese #JapanesePod101 #Language #Learning #Fluent #Lessons

[DancerAlison]

I have wanted to know why the I and U were often voiceless but no one has ever been able to definitively explain when or why. This makes so much sense!!!! ありがとう！！！

[lidlyp]

I learned you don't fully leave the "u" you kinda "swallow" the letter

[BigSisterNeko]

I always thought that if you said the す in です and ます was sort of like the equivalent of "baby talk" in English. You know, trying to sound cute.

[DayChn]

I live in Japan, the point is... Some japanese people say DESU or MASU, and others DESS and MASS...
I think both are ok, maybe some people have a different accent...

[marachime]

Thank you! I've wanted to know this forever <3

[depuntoapuntoenelmundo]

I always thought that the sounds sort of "disappeared" because of the speed of pronunciation by a native that already knows what's being said by context and, as time goes on, ends up eliminating sounds that should be there. That's what happens in Spanish.

[ilovegirl]

This video is sooo helpful! ありがとございます！:)

[FadeToBlack]

Oh my lord I love this you must keep making videos! excellent teacher !

[caiinver]

Thank you so much! I have been learning Japanese for a few weeks via your videos as I am travelling to Japan very shortly. You are an amazing teacher! This video, along with your other videos, is very clear and to the point - making it that much easier to learn Japanese. 😎

[umemployedplumber]

I have been learning for 3 days now. I have yet to memorize the alphabets but japanese seems like an easy language to learn..I can really understand it well. Also the way this channel teaches it makes it super easy for an absolute beginner. All japanese teachers on this channel are amazing. I do realize that I have to work really hard to learn kanji. Anyways, thanks for the free lessons. Arigato Gosaimasu.

[parthmehta]

ありがとう ございます for this video the question was asked by me

[ArlekinVergeltungswaffe]

Very very helpful. I'm learning so much with this channel. I'm really thankful

[helenteague]

Thank you for this excellent and clear explanation.

[fabrikc_official]

long wondering about this and finally found a GREAT explanation and now I can keep learning. (I was aways confused when in the books there was "desu" and the contributing audio was "des" this left me totally confused and it was NOT explained in this learning lessons)

[LodiJP]

it would be even more fun if you'd answer the question of the video. "Why does DESU sound like DESS". in this video you basically say: "because we pronounce it that way". The linguistic reason or history would've been fun to explain :)

[lilylouie]

so the u is just like a silent e in english?

[davidribeiro]

Thank you. Short answer that made a lot of sense.

[BlahBlah-snmd]

I found this explanation useful. I was on the bus with two strangers from Kobe, Japan, and tried to say that "Aikatsu Deski" what I really needed was "Nihon no anime ga suki desu". We don't get many visitors from Japan in Ottawa, Canada. I think they were surprised that I could tell they were speaking Japanese. :)

[MilanousMedia]

Did Hiroko spend any time in Australia, only I'm getting a slight accent?

[alexbkkth]

Thank you Hiroko san . So useful video...love it .