Vowels
| Characters |
IPA |
Sound
|
| a |
a |
short a, as in cat
|
| aa |
a: |
long a, as in fate
|
| e |
e |
short e, as in head
|
| ee |
e: |
long e, as in edict
|
| i |
i |
short i, as in pick
|
| ii |
i: |
long i, as in ice
|
| o |
o |
short o, as in hop
|
| oo |
o: |
long o, as in hope
|
| u |
u |
short u, as in umbrella
|
| uu |
u: |
long u, as in youth
|
Consonants
| Characters |
IPA |
Sound
|
| b |
|
b as in bat
|
| ch |
|
ch as in chair
|
| ch' |
|
ch glottalized, (pronounced with puff of air)
|
| h |
h |
h as in hat
|
| k |
k |
k as in key
|
| k' |
|
k glottalized (pronounced with a puff of air)
|
| l |
l |
l as in lick
|
| m |
m |
m as in milk
|
| n |
n |
n as in nun
|
| p |
p |
p as in pear
|
| p' |
|
p glottalized (pronounced with a puff of air)
|
| s |
as |
s as in surf
|
| t |
t |
t as in tennis
|
| t' |
|
t glottalized (pronounced with a puff of air)
|
| tz |
ts |
ts as in cats
|
| tz' |
|
ts glottalized (pronounced with a puff of air)
|
| w |
w |
w as in weep
|
| x |
|
sh as in shop
|
| y |
j |
y as in Yo mama!
|
| ' |
|
quick pause, as in uh-oh
|
Common diphthongs
| Characters |
IPA |
Sound
|
| ay |
aj |
long i, as in eye or Aye, Cap'n!
|
| ey |
ej |
long a, as in they
|
| oy |
oj |
as in boy or the Yiddish "Oy vey!"
|