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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.
Universal keyboard
This link allows to type all accentuated letters.
Pronunciation
Listen first !
- Gerioù kentañ e Brezhoneg (First words in Breton)
- Some stories told by Breton native speakers
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
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| [a]
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a (karr = car)
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a (car)
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| [b]
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b (bara = bread)
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b (bold)
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| [d]
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d (dor = door)
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d (door)
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| [e]
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e (goude = after)
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e (red)
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| [f]
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f (fur = wise)
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f (foot)
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| [g]
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g (ger = word)
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g (gear)
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| [h]
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h (hir = long)
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h (house)
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| [i]
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i (listri = ships)
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i (engine)
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| [j]
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y (yar = hen)
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y (yatagan)
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| [k]
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k (kein = back)
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k (keel)
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| [l]
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l (laer = thief)
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l (long)
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| [l’]
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lh (dilhad = clothes)
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(none)
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ll (Spanish : llano)
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| [m]
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m (mab = son)
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m (more)
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| [n]
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n (naon = hunger)
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n (night)
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| [n’]
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gn (pign = climb)
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None
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gn (French: gagne)
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| [n~]
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n (sanket = sunk)
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ng (sing)
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| [o]
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o (tost = close)
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o (pot)
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| [o’]
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eu (nebeut = few)
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(none)
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eu (French: seul)
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| [p]
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p (park = field)
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p (park)
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| [r]
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r (rann = part)
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(none)
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r (French: rire)
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| [s]
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s (samm = load)
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s (son)
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| [s’]
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ch (chom = stay)
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sh (shark)
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| [t]
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t (ti = house)
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t (tea)
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| [u]
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ou (poull = pool)
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oo (pool)
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ou (French: tout)
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| [u’]
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u (rust = rude)
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(none)
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u (French: cru)
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| [v]
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v (voulouz = velours)
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v (victory)
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| [w]
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w (gwan = weak)
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w (twin)
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| [w’]
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u (mui = more)
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(none)
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u (French: nuit)
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| [x]
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c’h (sac’h = bag)
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(none)
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ch (German: Nacht)
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| [z]
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z (ezel = member)
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z (zone)
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| [z’]
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j (nijal = to fly)
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s (pleasure)
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j (French: joli)
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| [ã]
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añ (skañv = ill)
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(none)
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an (French: cran)
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| [ẽ]
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eñ (kreñv = strong)
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(none)
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in (French: fin)
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| [ĩ]
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iñ (biñs = bolt)
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(none)
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in (Portuguese: importância)
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| [õ]
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oñ (skaoñ = bench)
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(none)
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on (French: mon)
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| [õ’]
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euñ (bleuñv = flower)
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(none)
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un (French: brun)
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| [ũ]
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ou (pounner = heavy)
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(none)
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um (Portuguese: comum)
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| [ũ’]
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uñ (puñs = pit)
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(none)
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| [ei]
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ei (Breizh Brittany)
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ey (Hey)
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eil (French: pareil)
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| [ai]
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ai (a raio = will do)
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(none)
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ahi (French: trahi)
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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:
"gn" /n´/ as: ñ (Spanish: "español")
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