Tongue twisters that will make you laugh out loud! Super funny
Tongue twisters used for play and articulation practice.
Whether you’re just having fun or trying to improve your diction, you might as well enjoy it! In this article, we’ll introduce tongue twisters that make wordplay fun and interesting.
We’ve gathered tongue twisters that let you feel the charm of language—some with delightful word sequences that make you want to say them out loud, and others that are amusing even if you don’t quite understand the meaning.
They can also be used for children’s play or oral exercises for older adults, so please use them as a reference!
- Challenging tongue twisters: Introducing high-difficulty phrases and sentences!
- [Recreation] Challenge! A roundup of tongue twisters recommended for elementary school students
- [Diction Training] A Collection of Tongue Twisters to Improve Articulation
- Nagoya dialect tongue twisters are exquisite! A fun collection where your tongue gets tied in knots with regional dialects
- Witty quotes that make you chuckle without thinking
- “Chau chau, anta” — a Kansai-dialect tongue twister. A phrase only Kansai folks can say.
- Can you say them? A collection of Hakata-dialect tongue twisters
- [For Seniors] Boost Oral Function with Tongue Twisters! Recommended Picks to Try
- The magical power of words that make people laugh! A collection of quotes that lighten the heart
- Challenge together! A roundup of word games for adults
- [Trick Quiz] Quiz Questions That Excite Everyone from Kids to Adults
- [Rec] Interesting! A roundup of wordplay games
- A collection of long tongue twisters. Also recommended for practicing announcements and narration.
Japanese Difficult and Hard-to-Read Tongue Twisters (11–20)
Aya, apologize to the greengrocer.
This is a tongue twister that makes you wonder what happened, as someone is advising Aya to apologize to the greengrocer.
It focuses mainly on the “a” and “o” sounds, with occasional Ya- and Ma-row sounds added in, which is what makes it feel complex.
If you find it really hard to say, try practicing with just the vowels first, then switch back to the original sentence—you might find it easier.
If you let too much breath escape while pronouncing, the sounds can get crushed, so keeping your articulation crisp should help it come across more clearly.
I heard Kayō Yamamoto used to go to this high school.
There’s a relatively short and easy tongue twister: “Koko no kōkō ni Yamamoto Kayo ga kayottottarashii ken ne.” Yamamoto Kayo is a local TV personality active mainly in Fukuoka and beloved by locals.
In the tongue twister, it means “It seems Kayo Yamamoto used to attend this high school.” It’s a tongue twister that really reflects Fukuoka, especially the Hakata dialect.
If it feels hard, try taking a quick breath at the ‘ga’ part.
Our well bucket won’t break; the neighbor’s well bucket will.
This is a tongue twister that repeatedly uses the same word, making it easy to misspeak with slight differences.
A key feature of the phrase is that the word “tsurube” appears many times.
Because of the difference between “tsuburenu” (doesn’t get crushed) and “tsubureru” (gets crushed) and the consecutive “ts” sounds, your tongue tends to get tangled as your speaking speed increases.
The trick to mastering this phrase is to keep a steady rhythm for “tsurube” while pronouncing each word carefully.
Practice by focusing on accuracy first, then gradually increasing your speed as you confirm correct pronunciation.
A high priest with acrophobia competing with the guru of anorexia
First of all, the sentences themselves are funny.
Yet you have to repeat them quickly—that alone makes for a hilarious tongue twister.
These tongue-twister lines paint scenarios that make you laugh and wonder, “What’s going on?” Why not compete with family and friends to see who can rattle off these fun tongue twisters the best? Let’s play with tongue twisters that train the “kya” and “sha” sounds.
If you get flustered or too intense, you’ll stumble and get tangled up.
They’re tongue twisters you can brag about if you nail them.
It’s also fun to improve and leave your friends speechless.
Japanese hard-to-read/hard-to-understand tongue twisters (21–30)
Looking for a circus at Akasaka Sacas
A tongue twister modeled after Akasaka Sacas, a multi-purpose complex in Minato City, Tokyo.
The hallmark of this phrase is the repeated combination of the “sa” and “ka” sounds.
Because the two parts—Akasaka Sacas and “saakasu sagasu” (search for a circus)—sound similar, saying it quickly can easily tangle your tongue and cause confusion.
Add emphasis by clearly separating each word and focusing on each sound.
Like rhyming in rap, paying attention to the vowels and speaking rhythmically out loud is also a recommended way to master it.
Funny Animal Tongue Twisters Special (1–10)
A capybara kappa snatches someone away and impersonates a kappa leaf
This is a tongue twister with a mysterious worldview that depicts a kappa targeted by a capybara and trying to escape.
The key point of this tongue twister is “kapibara” (capybara); pay attention to the mouth movements and breath control when the “pi” and “ba” sounds come in succession.
In the first half, be mindful of the mix of semi-voiced and voiced consonants; in the second half, focus on the series of geminate consonants to pronounce it smoothly.
The more you aim for precise articulation, the more the initial “kapibara” can start to feel complicated, so be careful not to let the overall rhythm collapse at that point as you pronounce it.
a very sick snow crab
This is a phrase performed by solo comedian Kenta Otani as part of his tongue-twister routine.
The difficulty in pronunciation comes from combinations of vowels and consonants like the consecutive guai and warui.
In particular, linking guai warui (feeling sick) with zuwaigani (snow crab) makes the mouth movements complex and more likely to tangle the tongue.
It’s important to firmly form the correct mouth shapes for this tongue twister, practice slowly, and aim for accurate pronunciation.
Another tip is to be mindful of the rhythm and avoid trying to say it too fast.
Both the Japanese serow and deer are indeed deer, but a sea lion is certainly not a deer.
This tongue twister also became a hot topic thanks to a video where voice actor Hiroshi Kamiya delivers it fluently.
It’s tricky, but if you add a rap-like rhythm, you can get through it quite well.
Rather than reading it as kanji, I recommend treating it like a rhythm and singing it.
People tend to stumble when entering the latter half of the sentence, so it’s good to practice the transitions in particular.
Since the best approach varies depending on the type of tongue twister, try out different methods and see what works for you.
When a pig hit a pig, the pig that got hit hit back the pig that hit it, so the pig that hit and the pig that got hit both collapsed.
It’s a comedic tongue twister that depicts a quarrel between pigs.
At first glance it’s hard to follow, so let’s split it into two parts.
In the first half, “When a pig hit another pig, the pig that got hit hit back the pig that hit it,” it shows a pig striking another and getting counterattacked.
The second half, “The pig that hit and the pig that was hit both toppled over,” depicts both of them falling down, ending in a draw.
If you clearly distinguish between “buta” (pig) and “butta” (hit), your success rate will improve.
Raw catfish, raw sea cucumber, raw nameko mushrooms
This one is a pretty challenging tongue twister.
That’s because the already hard-to-pronounce phrase “nama” appears four times.
You’ll probably lose track of what you’re saying midway through.
Until you get used to it, using a cue card written in hiragana might help.
Also, when you think about it, “raw catfish” and “raw sea cucumber” make you wonder what that even means—which is part of the fun.
By the way, nameko mushrooms are unsafe to eat raw, so make sure to cook them.