Understanding the Latvian Alphabet and Pronunciation for English Speakers

Introduction to the Latvian Alphabet

The Latvian alphabet is based on the Latin script and consists of 33 letters. It includes several special characters with diacritical marks that are essential for correct pronunciation. For English speakers, understanding these letters and their sounds is the first step in learning Latvian.

The Letters of the Latvian Alphabet

The Latvian alphabet contains the following letters:

• A, Ā
• B
• C, Č
• D, Ē
• E, Ē
• F
• G
• Ģ
• H
• I, Ī
• J
• K
• Ķ
• L, Ļ
• M
• N, Ņ
• O, Ō
• P
• R
• S, Š
• T, Ū
• U, Ū
• V
• Z, Ž

Note that some letters have diacritical marks such as macrons (ā, ē, ī, ū) and carons (č, š, ž), which change the pronunciation of the base letter.

Pronunciation of Latvian Letters

Here is a guide to pronouncing some of the unique Latvian letters and sounds, especially those that differ from English:

• Ā /ā/ – a long 'a' sound, like the 'a' in 'father' but held longer.
• Č /tʃ/ – like 'ch' in 'chocolate'.
• Ē /ē/ – a long 'e' sound, similar to 'ay' in 'say'.
• Ģ /ɟ/ – a soft 'g' sound, somewhat like the 'g' in 'genius'.
• Ī /ī/ – a long 'ee' sound, like 'see'.
• Ķ /c/ – a soft 'k' sound, pronounced with the middle of the tongue against the roof of the mouth.
• Ļ /ʎ/ – a soft 'l' sound, similar to the 'lli' in 'million'.
• Ņ /ɲ/ – a soft 'n' sound, like the 'ny' in 'canyon'.
• Š /ʃ/ – like 'sh' in 'shoe'.
• Ž /ʒ/ – like the 's' in 'measure'.
• Ū /ū/ – a long 'u' sound, like 'oo' in 'moon'.

Vowels and Their Lengths

Vowel length is important in Latvian as it can change the meaning of words. Long vowels are marked with a macron (ā, ē, ī, ū). For example, koks means 'tree', while kōks (with a long 'o') is not a word in Latvian, but vowel length can distinguish other words.

Consonants and Softness

Some consonants in Latvian are 'soft' due to the presence of diacritical marks (like Ģ, Ķ, Ļ, Ņ). These are pronounced with the tongue touching the roof of the mouth, giving a palatalized sound. This is different from English and may take practice to master.

Common Pronunciation Tips for English Speakers

To help English speakers, here are some tips:

• Pay attention to vowel length; it can change word meanings.
• Practice the soft consonants Ģ, Ķ, Ļ, and Ņ by placing your tongue against the roof of your mouth.
• Remember that Č, Š, and Ž correspond to English 'ch', 'sh', and the 's' in 'measure' respectively.
• The letter J is pronounced like the English 'y' in 'yes'.
• The letter C is pronounced like 'ts' in 'cats'.

Examples of Latvian Words with Pronunciation

Pronunciation Guide for Examples

- Sveiki: /ˈsvɛi̯.ki/ – 'svay-kee'
- Paldies: /ˈpɑl.djɛs/ – 'pal-dyes'
- Uz redzēšanos: /uz rɛdˈzeː.ʃɑ.nɔs/ – 'ooz red-zay-sha-nos'
- Jā: /jɑː/ – 'ya' (long 'a')
- Nē: /nɛː/ – 'neh' (long 'e')