Letter

Notes

Example

Consonants

b

"B" as in bat. Sometimes as in "p" especially at the end of a syllable or word like cork.

babheàll (courier)

ba-VyELL

c

"C" as in car, and never as "s" like city.

cá (the; that)

KAY

d

"D" as in door. When preceding long vowels or certain diphthongs of eà and ài always as "j" like joust. Sometimes voiced as "t" like that the tt in tattle.

deduá (nobility)

de-JUEa

f

"F" as in foot, but on occasion "v" as in vase.

fá (fay; fairae)

FAY

g

"G" as in goat, and never like "j" in verge. Sometimes like "z" as in azure especially if "g" is doubled like in Plíagge. As an end sound, "k" as in take.

górg (book)

GORG

h

Usually not voiced in Kue, but between vowels as "kh" like the scottish loch. Also seen at beginning of sentences as a softening sound like in hArdeàch (Har-JyECH).

síehan (seven)

syee-KHAN

l

"L" as in little, both as a long sound (Lit...) and short sound (...tle). Prounounced as long if doubled especially at end of a word

lebheàir (wood)

le-VEEyR

m

"M" as in meet.

meàr (sea)

myar

n

Voiced and unvoiced in Kue. As a voiced consonant, "n" as in need, however, as unvoiced similar to the french "n" as in non, especially when followed by ài or eà. "NN" at the end of a word is always voiced as either "n" as in tone or "nen."

nenain (need)

neni ’

p

"P" as in paper and sometimes as "b" in banter.

graòppa (disease)

GROP-pa

r

"R" as in run, but not voiced by rounding the lips. "R" is a dental sound like in french. When doubled (rr) always trilled.

ruírra (vigorous)

RÜRR

s

"S" as in save. Sometimes as "sh" as in shade, especially before long vowels and the diphthongs of eà and ài.

òiseàn (conquer)

WEE-shaw ’

t

Short "t" as in tongue, or long "ch" as in chat and sometimes "d" as in paddle.

toír (door)

TÖR

Lenition & Hard Sounds

bh

"V" as in vast.

bhoàircha (chaotic)

VOR-cha

ch

"CH" as in german ich or buch, and never as "ch" as in charity.

chròi (heart; center)

KHWEE

dh

Dental "d" close to "th" as in thin, not like "th" in the. Usually silent at the end of a syllable or word.

dhacríemh (vision)

tha-KREW

fh

"H" as in hat or "fw" like that in forward.

Fhaàluir (Heaven)

FWA-luer

gh

Usually "y" as in yacht or you especially at beginning of sentence. Sometimes as "h" like hide.

ghahíra (heard)

ya-HEER-a

lh

"H" as in hide, and short sounding "l" like in cáelh

cáelh (anger)

Kayle

mh

"W" as in water and sometimes like "V" as in drive. Sometimes at end of sentence silent.

mhoír (dark)

WÖR

nh

"NY" as in spanish "ny" like señor.

cainhóain (arroews)

ke-NYOi ’

ph

"F" as in fast.

Pheáichó (Moon)

FyEE-cho

rh

"H" as in hide, or trilled

rhuín (battle)

HÜN

sh

"SH" as in shave.

sha (land)

SHA

th

"H" as in hat or "th" as in thin, never as "th" as in the.

athair (father)

A-hair

pb

"P" as in public.

pboímhó (springtime)

POO-vow

gc

"G" as in goat.

gceàrth (heart; dwelling place)

GyARTH

td

"T" as in tooth.

tdroíga (teardrop)

TRÖ-ga

cg

"C" as in coat, but sometimes heard as "ch" as in chide.

cgí (of; from)

CHEE

bp

"B" as in bard.

bpáird (musician)

BAYi-rd

ll

"L" as in lawn. Always voiced as long "L."

Bhuáll (Vall)

VwU-ALL

dd

"J" as in joust.

caddeà (white; pure)

ka-ja

Vowels

a

Short "a" as in british bath.

dhanin (harsh; bleak)

THA-nin

á

Long "a" as in cake. Always pronounced as a flat sound with no glide.

táthó (minstry)

CHAY-tho

e

Always short "e" like in ever.

degga (misty; foggy)

DEZH-a

I

Short "I" as in in, never as "I" in kite.

im (speck)

IM

Í

Long "e" as in keen.

ní (in)

NEE

o

Short "a" as in british or pennsylvania dutch hot.

cromha (feather)

KRAW-a

ò

Unvoiced as a vowel.

òamhnàis (temple)

YAW-nes

ó

Long "o" as in home.

gó (vowel infinitve case)

GO

u

Short "u" as in hum.

cull (destruction)

KULL

ú

Long "u" as in tune.

cú (wolf)

KUE

Diphthongs

aà

Short "a" as in cat.

saà (inward; aura)

SAA

áie, áe or ae

"AY" as in stay. The "e" acts as a glide like a "y" sound

dráecó (crazy)

DRAy-ko

ài or ai

Short "I" or "e" very close to the schwa sound in american

nain (nine)

NI ’

aò

Long "o." The "a" acts as a glide from a "y" or "w" sound.

paò (how)

PwO

àu or au

Short "a." The "u" acts as a "w" glide like in pow.

stràu (ring)

STRAuW

eá, eái or eài

Long "e." The "a" acts as a "y" glide. The "I" sometimes makes the sound "ew" as in few.

fháleái (may come)

HAY-lyee

eà or ea

Short "e." The "a" is a glide with either a "y" sound or "w" sound

tdreàm (drain)

TRyEM

ái

Long "a." Glide is before the "a" sound.

scauthái (radiance)

SCAuW-thyay

aí

Long "I" as in kite.

saíbhain (silence)

SIY-vi ’

ía

Long "e" plus "y" glide before.

ía (for sure)

YEE-a

ió

Long "e" plus long "o" and "y" glide before.

iós (beacon)

YEE-os

òu

Always a "y" sound, and sometimes with a long "u" sound. Without the "u" it is unvoiced. (See ò)

òuran (Heavenly places; sky)

YOU-ran

oí

German "ö" as in löwe. Sometimes as "oowi" like in Tuesday.

coímhead (covering)

KÖ-wead

uí

German "ü" as in tschüß. Sometimes as "woo" like in woo

Cuílla (Town of Kuíl)

KÜL-la

oá

Long "o." The "a" acts as a glide before the "o."

toá (the; that - accusitive case)

CHyO-a

eí

Long "e." The "I" acts as a glide before the "e."

Eísc (eastern)

YEE-ishk

uá

Long "u." The glide of "w" precedes the "u."

tuátha (people)

CHwOO-a-ha

eó

Long "o." The glide of "y" precedes the "o."

eóa (whole)

YOH-a

uá

Long "u." The glide of "w" or "y" precedes the "u."

luá (animal)

LwOO-a