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.
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)
in (Portuguese: importância)
[õ]
oñ (skaoñ = bench)
(none)
on (French: mon)
[õ’]
euñ (bleuñv = flower)
(none)
un (French: brun)
[ũ]
ou (pounner = heavy)
(none)
um (Portuguese: comum)
[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-zao”
« levr » (book) is pronounced “leor”.
Here write down your own explanation of the pronunciation if you feel it different from that one up:
