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Brezhoneg

Introduction to the Breton Language Course

A bep seurt

Reading Breton

As well as the preceding rules, you need to know how written Breton is pronounced.

Vowels

Breton spelling Pronunciation
añ (and añv in final position) is pronounced /ã/
oñ (and oñv in final position) is pronounced /õ/
eñ (and eñv in final position) is pronounced as en in French chien
iñ (and iñv in final position) /i/ nasalised
uñ (and uñv in final position) /ü/ nasalised, as in French brun with slightly pursed lips
u is pronounced /y/
e is pronounced /e/
ê is pronounced /ê/
eu is pronounced /ö/ or /Ö/
ou is pronounced /u/
is pronounced /u/, /o/ or /öw/ similar to ow in English low
an is pronounced with the consonant i.e. an+n : /ãn/
on is pronounced with the consonant i.e. on+n : /õn/
eo is either pronounced as a dipthong (two vowels following each other) /eo/ or as /ê/
ao is either pronounced as a dipthong /ao/ or as /o/
ae is either pronounced as a dipthong /ae/ or as /ê/
Other vowels are pronounced as they are written.

Consonants

Breton Spelling Pronunciation
ilh is pronounced ee + y /ij/
zh is pronounced /z/ except in the region around Vannes where it is pronounced /h/ or /x/
gn is pronounced n + y /nj/
ch is pronounced as in machine
j is pronounced like s in treasure
c'h is pronounced /x/
y is pronounced as in English at the beginning of a word.
v is pronounced /v/ within a word, /o/ and /f/ at the end of a noun after a consonant, /w/ at the end of a verb root, and elsewhere as a consonant.
Other consonants are pronounced as they are written within words.
For final consonants and words linked in the sentence, see the notes above.
Introduction to the Breton Language Course
· How to use the course
· Phonetic transcription and general rules of pronunciation
· Reading Breton