If you're trying to learn the Irish Alphabet which is also called Gaelic, check our courses about pronunciation, and sound of all letters... to help you with your Irish grammar. Try to concentrate on the lesson and memorize the sounds. Also don't forget to check the rest of our other lessons listed on Learn Irish. Enjoy the rest of the lesson!
Learning the Irish alphabet is very important because its structure is used in every day conversation. Without it, you will not be able to say words properly even if you know how to write those words. The better you pronounce a letter in a word, the more understood you will be in speaking the Irish language.
Below is a table showing the Irish alphabet and how it is pronounced in English, and finally examples of how those letters would sound if you place them in a word.
| Irish Alphabet | English Sound | Pronunciation Example |
|---|---|---|
| Short vowels | ||
| a | as in bat | |
| e | as in set | |
| i | as in sit | |
| o | as in son | |
| u | as in book | |
| Long vowels | ||
| a: | as in far | |
| e: | as in say | |
| i: | as in me | |
| o: | as in more | |
| u: | as in who | |
| Broad Consonants | ||
| n | ||
| p | ||
| r | ||
| s | ||
| t | ||
| v | as in wore | |
| w | as in wigwam | |
| x | as in the German bach | |
| z | ||
| ԓ | as in long | |
| Ճ | ||
| Slender Consonants | ||
| n´ | as in canyon | |
| p´ | as in piece | |
| r´ | ||
| s´ | as in she | |
| t´ | ||
| v´ | as in very | |
| x´ | as in Hugh, German "Ich" | |
| z´ | as in pleasure | |
| ԓ' | as in sing | |
| Ճ' | as in yes | |
| Neutral Vowel | ||
| Ə | as in about | |
| Dipthongs | ||
| ai | as in I, eye | |
| au | as in cow | |
| iƏ | as in pianist | |
| uƏ | as in fluent |
You saw how a letter is written and might be pronounced, but there is nothing better than hearing the sound of the letters in a video or audio. Below you will be able to hear how the letters above are pronounced, just press the play button:
| Irish Pronunciation |
|---|
The alphabet and its pronunciation have a very important role in Irish. Once you're done with the Gaelic alphabet, you might want to check the rest of our Irish lessons here: Learn Irish. Don't forget to bookmark this page.
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