Breton/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 louzoù (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 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:

• "gn" /n´/ as: ñ (Spanish: "español'")

Different spelling systems

Peurunvan	Skolveurieg	Etrerannyezhel	English translation
GLAV	GLAO	GLAW	rain
PIV	PIOU	PIW	who
LEVR	LEOR	LEVR	book
UR	EUR	UR	one
EVIT	EVID	EWID	for
GANT	GAND	GAND	with
ANEZHI	ANEZI	ANEZHI	from her
OUZHPENN	OUSPENN	OUZHPENN	more, on top of something
BRAVAÑ	BRAVA	BRAVAÑ	nicest
ASANTIÑ	ASANTI	ASANTIÑ	to accept
PELEC’H	PELEH	PELEC’H	where
AR C’HI	AR HI	AR C’HI	the dog
BLOAVEZH	BLOAVEZ	BLOAWEZH	year

Basic dictionary


(br)	(en)	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	House	ti
ker	Town	ker

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