Understanding Latvian Vowels and Consonants for English Speakers

Introduction to Latvian Phonetics

Latvian is a Baltic language with a relatively simple and phonetic sound system. For English speakers learning Latvian, understanding the vowels and consonants is essential for correct pronunciation and comprehension.

Latvian Vowels

Latvian has a total of 12 vowel sounds, which include both short and long vowels. Vowel length is distinctive in Latvian, meaning that the length of the vowel can change the meaning of a word.

• a, ā
• e, ē
• i, ī
• u, ū
• o, ō
• ie (diphthong)

Here is a brief overview of Latvian vowels with their approximate English equivalents:

Latvian Consonants

Latvian consonants are generally similar to English consonants but with some important differences. Latvian has 21 consonant phonemes, including some palatalized sounds and a few that do not exist in English.

• b
• c (pronounced 'ts')
• č (pronounced 'ch' as in 'cherry')
• d
• dz (pronounced 'ds')
• dž (pronounced 'j' as in 'jungle')
• f
• g
• ģ (soft g)
• h
• j (pronounced 'y' as in 'yes')
• k
• ķ (soft k)
• l
• ļ (soft l)
• m
• n
• ņ (soft n)
• p
• r (rolled)
• s
• š (pronounced 'sh')
• t
• v
• z
• ž (pronounced 'zh' as in 'measure')

Some consonants have a 'soft' or palatalized version, indicated by a diacritic (e.g., ķ, ģ, ļ, ņ). These are pronounced with the middle of the tongue raised towards the hard palate.

Pronunciation Tips for English Speakers

- The letter c is always pronounced like 'ts' in 'cats'.
- The letter č sounds like 'ch' in 'chocolate'.
- The letter š sounds like 'sh' in 'shoe'.
- The letter ž sounds like 's' in 'measure'.
- The letter j is pronounced like 'y' in 'yes'.
- The letter r is rolled or trilled, similar to Spanish or Italian.
- Palatalized consonants (ķ, ģ, ļ, ņ) are softer and pronounced with the tongue touching the roof of the mouth.