# Breton/Introductory lessons/Breton Pronunciation

* Introduction to Breton Breton Pronunciation
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
Ar sakrist hag ar marc'hadour-lousoù (The sacristan and the herbs remedies seller)
Roched un den eürus (the shirt of a happy man)
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 IPABreton spellingEnglish spellingOther
[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-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") :
Different spelling systems
Peurunvan
Skolveurieg
Etrerannyezhel
English translation
GLAVGLAOGLAWrain
PIVPIOUPIWwho
LEVRLEORLEVRbook
UREURURone
EVITEVIDEWIDfor
GANTGANDGANDwith
ANEZHIANEZIANEZHIto her
OUZHPENNOUSPENNOUZHPENNmore, on top of something
BRAVAÑBRAVABRAVAÑnicest
ASANTIÑASANTIASANTIÑto accept
PELEC’HPELEHPELEC’Hwhere
AR C’HIAR HIAR C’HIthe dog
BLOAVEZHBLOAVEZBLOAWEZHyear :
Basic dictionary
Breton
English
IPA notation
karr
car
kar
bara
bread
bara
dor
door
dor
goude
after
gude
fur
wise
fu’r
ger
word
ger
hir
long
hir
listri
ships
listri
yar
hen
jar
kein
back
kein
laer
thief
laer
dilhad
clothes
dil’ad
mab
son
mab
naon
hunger
naon
unan
one
unan
ti ker
House Town
ti ker :