Pronouncing

[inspired]

I'm a newbie and I'm on newbie lesson two.I'm having trouble with pronouncing shitsurei shimasu can anyone help me?

[QuackingShoe]

Like everything else in pronunciation, it's really just something you have to practice, and also something you don't really have to worry about perfecting immediately. Since you can't.

But broadly, it's important to realize that in the dialect usually taught, a lot of certain vowel sounds in certain positions in a word become devoiced. This is why 'desu' tends to sound something like 'des', and why 'watashi' ends up sounding like 'watash' in 'watashitachi'.
In shitsurei, the 'i' sound in 'shi' and the 'u' sound in 'tsu' are pretty deemphasized. The result is a kindof rolling action with your tongue as you start the 'shi' and then glide over the 'tsu' directly into the 're-i'. Despite Japanese usually having a rather regular beat, this makes shitsurei seem to be said rather quickly (and I think it actually is).
I thought it was a pretty unique sound when I first heard it, that I didn't think was necessarily intuitive from the rest of Japanese pronunciation. It seems to follow in any 'shi-tsu-re' (possibly any shi-tsu-r-) words, though. For instance, I notice it in shitsuren, 失恋, to a lesser degree.

Well, all that's if you're having trouble trying to say it in a natural way, which I don't know if they do or not in that lesson (I'm not listening). If you're having trouble with a slowed-down pronunciation, I guess you're probably just having trouble with the 'tsu' sound, in which case.. practice

Anyway, someone come correct me with something more accurate. The amount of time I spend on pronunciation is not ideal.

[Javizy]

Just pay close attention to the way the Japanese pronounce it, and try to repeat after the lesson audio. Japanese is pretty sharp, and flows together smoothly. I think it's difficult for Westerners to perfect this without special care. You hear loads of Americans who sound terrible, but I saw a segment on NHK interviewing some Indian immigrants who sounded great.

Remember that when an i comes after an e, it is pronounced e, so shitsurei is actually shitsuree. This is the same with u after o, e.g. oubei is pronounced oobee. Try to drop the romaji ASAP as well, that might help to break some bad habits.

[inspired]

Thank you for your help I'll use your advice