Pronunciation Key

VOWELS

Short Vowels				Long Vowels
Symbol Used Here	Irish Examples	Nearest English Equivalent		Symbol Used Here	Irish Examples	Nearest English Equivalent
	Click for sound				Click for sound
a	bean, mac	bat		a:	ard, tá	far
e	ceist, te	set		e:	mé, tae	say
i	duine, im	sit		i:	buí, naoi	me
o	obair, seo	son		o:	ceol, mór	more
u	dubh, tiubh	book		u:	siúl, tú	who
	The Neutral Vowel
	Symbol Used Here	Irish Examples		Nearest English Equivalent
		Click for sound
		mála, míle		about

Dipthongs
Symbol Used Here	Irish Examples	Nearest English Equivalent
	Click for sound
ai	radharc	I, eye
au	leabhar	cow
	bia, pian	pianist
	fuar, suas	fluent

CONSONANTS

Broad Consonants				Slender Consonants
Symbol Used Here	Irish Examples	Nearest English Equivalent		Symbol Used Here	Irish Examples	Nearest English Equivalent
	Click for sound				Click for sound
b	bán, buí	—		b´	bí, beo	be, beauty
d	dó	—		d´	deo	—
f	faoin	—		f´	fíon, fiú	feet, few
g	Gaeilge	fog		g´	gé, Gaeilge	gay, egg
h	hata, thit	hat
k	cad	cot		k´	cé, cead	key, came
l	lón, mála	mill		l´	leon, míle	live
m	maoin, mór	—		m´	mé, mín	may, me
n	anam, naoi	—		n´	ainm, ní	canyon
p	paca	—		p´	peaca	piece
r	fuar	—		r´	fuair	—
s	cás	—		s´	cáis	she
t	tacht	—		t´	teacht	—
v	vóta	wore		v´	bhí	very
w	wigwam	wigwam
x	loch	German "Bach"		x´	cheol	Hugh, German "Ich"
z	zú	—		z´	xileafón	pleasure
	longa	long			loingeas	sing
	dhá	Spanish "Agua"			dhíol	yes
d´z´	jab	job

STRESSED AND UNSTRESSES SYLLABLES:

In multi-syllable words, the syllables which are underlined are stressed (accented) in pronunciation. Keep in mind that as a general rule most Irish words are pronounced with the stress on the first syllable with any remaining syllables being unstressed.