their for Japanese speakers — pronunciation and common errors

Pronunciation

Japanese lacks the dental fricative /ð/, so speakers substitute the voiced alveolar plosive /d/ or /z/. This results in /zeː/ or /deː/ instead of /ðɛər/.

Grammar

Japanese possessives use the particle 'no' (の) which does not change based on number or person. Consequently, learners may over-rely on a single possessive form or omit 'their' when the plural antecedent is implied by context rather than explicitly marked.

Examples

• The children are playing with their new toys in the garden.
• The neighbors asked if we could watch their dog while they are away on vacation next week.