If you can't hear the difference easily, don't worry! It just takes time and practice. Use this webapp to train your ears and you'll soon be able to tell the difference between these sounds.

INSTRUCTIONS

Click the Play Sound button to get started. You can select "全(すべ)て | All" to quiz on both long vowels and small っ words. Or select just one mode to practice hearing those words.

Quick Review: The long vowel, or 長音(ちょうおん) in Japanese, makes the vowel two mora (two beats) long. Listen to the difference.

Quick Review: The small っ, or 促音(そくおん) in Japanese, creates a "hiccup" between sounds that last a mora.

Two Notes About the Small っ

▮ The trick is to understand the small っ counts as a mora or one beat. きて is two mora in length but きって and きいて are three mora. In other words, the small っ counts as a mora.

▮ And here is a hack for pronunciation using きって as an example:

• Mora 1: Say the kana before the small っ. (In our example, that would be き)
• Mora 2: Put your mouth and tongue in the position you would make for the kana that comes after the っ (this would be て in the きって example), but don’t make the sound yet.
• Mora 3: On the third mora or beat, make the third sound (て).