Japanese Question

[LilSoulStealer]

Okay so is it senpai or sempai?

[Sakura Latte]

It's spelled senpai, but phonetically, it's sempai due to something called nasal assimilation, where if 'n' is followed by a bilabial sound (b, p), it is pronounced as an 'm'.

[LilSoulStealer]

Sakura Latte

It's spelled senpai, but phonetically, it's sempai due to something called nasal assimilation, where if 'n' is followed by a bilabial sound (b, p), it is pronounced as an 'm'.

Oh ok. Thank you so much!

[spookyprincess]

せんぱい

[Kenni Catastrophe]

Sakura Latte

It's spelled senpai, but phonetically, it's sempai due to something called nasal assimilation, where if 'n' is followed by a bilabial sound (b, p), it is pronounced as an 'm'.

おー！なんか、言語学を取った人のような答えをなさいましたよね。そうではなければ、ただ興味がありますか。先生なのでしょうか。とにかく、とてもいい答えなのでしたー。僕も言語学を勉強いたしました。

What Sakura Latte said. x)

[Nuclear Muchacho]

As true and correct as what Sakura said is, whenever I'm watching anime or whatever I keep hearing an "n" in there. It's always "seNpai" and "seNpai". I dunno, it's either something more between an "m" and "n" so it's not as distinctive or I'm deaf as suck.