Vowels (guta) : a, e, i, o, u
Consonants are classified as broad and slender, too; they take on the flavor of the nearest vowel, e.g.
tae (t is broad), te (t is slender), taistil (the first t is broad; s, the second t and l are all slender).
You may need some time before you can hear the difference between some broad and slender
consonants, or pronounce them yourself. Here are the most important ones to master first.
slender s
slender t
slender d
slender l
slender n
//
/t/
/d/
/l/
/n/
shoe, fish
(similar to: chin, rich)
Joe, vigil, ledge
million, will you
sinew, minion (rare at start of words in US Eng.)
Spelling rule: Caol le caol; leathan le leathan. The vowels on either side of a consonant, or group of
consonants, must both be slender or both be broad, e.g. danfaidh, rithfidh, leabharlann, pirceanna,
cupn, cipn, madra, maidrn, etc. (A couple notable exceptions: anseo, ansin )
Vowel combinations.
ae
/e/
ao
/i/
aoi
/i/
ea
//
ei
//
-eadh
// or /u/ depending on dialect
eo
/o/
-faidh
/i/
-fidh
/i/
ia
/i/
ua
/u/
io, oi, ui
// (usually)
tae, laethanta
Aodh, caol
aoi, saoirse
eala, deas
eisean, ceimic
deireadh, cuireadh
Eoin, ceol, beo
tiocfaidh
feicfidh
bia, pian
fuath
gliondar, gloine, duine
tay
see
me
apple
meh
meh, moo
no
see
see
deal
moo
fit
Fadas (snt fada) change pronunciation of vowels and add length and stress, too.
a
/a/
e
//
i
//
o
//
u
//
hata, mac
father, spa
ceist, de
tell, get
ith, duine, i
in, hit
olc, deoch
tug, wonder
dubh, fliuch
good, pull
/:/
/e:/
/i:/
/o:/
/u:/
Adapted from Ray Mac Mnais by Karen Reshkin. Updated November 2014
t, bd
call, far
c, ist
bait, pay
Sle, tr, seal
tree, mean, he
l, bthar
roll, toe, road
t, cpla
too, rude
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broad / leathan
a, o, u
/w/
bhain, abhaile, dabht, gabh
wow, tower
slender / caol
e, i
/v/
a bheith, leibhal, sibh
village, eve
/x/
chomh, ncha, nach
//
dhn
no equivalent
silent
an fhuaim, mfhoireann
:^
//
ghasr, ghlr
f
g
no equivalent
no simhi possible
no simhi possible
/w/
gan mhoill, amhin, domhan
wow, tower
//
an cheist, fiche, deich
h
l
m
/j/
ar dheireadh, a Dhia
yell
silent
an fhile, an fhiacail
:^
/j/
mo ghile, oighear
yell
no simhi possible
no simhi possible
/v/
mo mhar, simhi, nimh
village, eve
no simhi possible
/f/
sa pholl, phs siad
follow
no simhi possible
/h/
Nollaig shona, mo shaol
honey
/h/
mo thin, tharla
honey
n
p
r
s
t
Adapted from Ray Mac Mnais by Karen Reshkin. Updated November 2014
no simhi possible
/f/
an pheil
fell
no simhi possible
/h/
dh shiocair, ar sheift
hello
/h/
tr thine, an-the
hello
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If the word
begins with:
ur adds this
letter at the
beginning of
the word
it looks like
this:
mb
gc
nd
bh
bhf
ng
h, l, m, n
no ur possible
---
bp
no ur possible
---
dt
//
wing
i nGaillimh, i ngeimhreadh
--/b/
boy
i bPras, r bpictir
--broad
slender
/d/ do
/d/ jet
i dTr L
r dteach
Adapted from Ray Mac Mnais by Karen Reshkin. Updated November 2014
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