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Introduction: this is an introductory lesson.
It should teach students how to pronounce Breton and how to write Breton.
Near the end of this lecture, you will find a dictionary and place for global discussions.
[edit] Universal keyboard
This link allows to type all accentuated letters.
[edit] Pronunciation
[edit] Listen first !
- Gerioù kentañ e Brezhoneg (First words in Breton)
- Some stories told by Breton native speakers
[edit] Pronunciation rules
The Breton alphabet
A simplified notation of the International Phonetic Alphabet is used, accordingly to the one chosen in « Grammaire bretonne » from Roparz Hemon (Al Liamm - 1984).
Breton pronunciation
| Simplified IPA |
Breton spelling |
English spelling |
Other |
| [a] |
a (karr = car) |
a (car) |
|
| [b] |
b (bara = bread) |
b (bold) |
|
| [d] |
d (dor = door) |
d (door) |
|
| [e] |
e (goude = after) |
e (red) |
|
| [f] |
f (fur = wise) |
f (foot) |
|
| [g] |
g (ger = word) |
g (gear) |
|
| [h] |
h (hir = long) |
h (house) |
|
| [i] |
i (listri = ships) |
i (engine) |
|
| [j] |
y (yar = hen) |
y (yatagan) |
|
| [k] |
k (kein = back) |
k (keel) |
|
| [l] |
l (laer = thief) |
l (long) |
|
| [l’] |
lh (dilhad = clothes) |
(none) |
ll (Spanish : llano) |
| [m] |
m (mab = son) |
m (more) |
|
| [n] |
n (naon = hunger) |
n (night) |
|
| [n’] |
gn (pign = climb) |
None |
gn (French: gagne) |
| [n~] |
n (sanket = sunk) |
ng (sing) |
|
| [o] |
o (tost = close) |
o (pot) |
|
| [o’] |
eu (nebeut = few) |
(none) |
eu (French: seul) |
| [p] |
p (park = field) |
p (park) |
|
| [r] |
r (rann = part) |
(none) |
r (French: rire) |
| [s] |
s (samm = load) |
s (son) |
|
| [s’] |
ch (chom = stay) |
sh (shark) |
|
| [t] |
t (ti = house) |
t (tea) |
|
| [u] |
ou (poull = pool) |
oo (pool) |
ou (French: tout) |
| [u’] |
u (rust = rude) |
(none) |
u (French: cru) |
| [v] |
v (voulouz = velours) |
v (victory) |
|
| [w] |
w (gwan = weak) |
w (twin) |
|
| [w’] |
u (mui = more) |
(none) |
u (French: nuit) |
| [x] |
c’h (sac’h = bag) |
(none) |
ch (German: Nacht) |
| [z] |
z (ezel = member) |
z (zone) |
|
| [z’] |
j (nijal = to fly) |
s (pleasure) |
j (French: joli) |
| |
| [ã] |
añ (skañv = ill) |
(none) |
an (French: cran) |
| [ẽ] |
eñ (kreñv = strong) |
(none) |
in (French: fin) |
| [ĩ] |
iñ (biñs = bolt) |
(none) |
|
| [õ] |
oñ (skaoñ = bench) |
(none) |
on (French: mon) |
| [õ’] |
euñ (bleuñv = flower) |
(none) |
un (French: brun) |
| [ũ] |
ou (pounner = heavy) |
(none) |
|
| [ũ’] |
uñ (puñs = pit) |
(none) |
|
|
|
| [ei] |
ei (Breizh Brittany) |
ey (Hey) |
eil (French: pareil) |
| [ai] |
ai (a raio = will do) |
(none) |
ahi (French: trahi) |
Note : the letter “v” in final is pronounced “o” or “u” ; this may also be the case within a word. For instance:
- « war-sav » (stand up) is pronounced “war-sao”
- « levr » (book) is pronounced “leor”.
Here write down your own explanation of the pronunciation if you feel it different from that one up:
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