Language/Lithuanian/Grammar/Alphabet-and-Pronunciation
| Next Lesson — Basic Sentence Structure ▶️ |
Learning a new language can seem daunting, but don't let that scare you away from exploring the beauty and uniqueness of the Lithuanian language. In this lesson, I will introduce you to the Lithuanian alphabet, its special characters, and pronunciation rules. Knowing the alphabet and pronunciation will help you immensely in your journey to mastering the language. So, let's begin!
After mastering this lesson, these related pages might interest you: Conjunctions and Expressions of Time and Place & Multipurpose Words and Suffixes.
Lithuanian Alphabet
The Lithuanian alphabet consists of 32 letters, including 12 vowels and 20 consonants. Lithuanian is written in Latin letters, so if you know the Latin alphabet, you will find Lithuanian quite easy to read and write.
Vowels
The Lithuanian language has 12 vowels, which can be either short or long. The long vowels are denoted by a diacritic mark called the "macron."
Here is a table with the Lithuanian vowels, their pronunciation, and an English equivalent:
| Lithuanian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| a | [a] | father |
| ą | [ɔ̃ː] | dawn |
| e | [ɛ] | bed |
| ė | [eː] | fate |
| i | [i] | ski |
| y | [iː] | eel |
| o | [ɔ] | not |
| u | [u] | shoe |
| ū | [uː] | mood |
| ö | [ø] | fern (in some dialects only) |
| ų | [ʊ̃ː] | cool (only at the end of words) |
| ǫ | [ɔ̃] | dawn (historic, only in some words) |
Consonants
The Lithuanian language has 20 consonants, including three nasals, five fricatives, and two affricates. Here is a table with the Lithuanian consonants, their pronunciation, and an English equivalent:
| Lithuanian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| b | [b] | big |
| c | [ts] | pets |
| č | [tʃ] | chum |
| d | [d] | dog |
| f | [f] | fish |
| g | [ɡ] | game |
| h | [x] | hat (in some dialects only) |
| j | [j] | yes |
| k | [k] | key |
| l | [l] | love |
| m | [m] | May |
| n | [n] | never |
| p | [p] | pen |
| r | [r] | red |
| s | [s] | sit |
| š | [ʃ] | ship |
| t | [t] | ten |
| v | [v] | violin |
| z | [z] | zoo |
| ž | [ʒ] | pleasure (like the "s" in "measure") |
Special Characters
In addition to the letters above, there are three special characters in the Lithuanian language that can be a bit confusing for beginners.
The first one is the letter "i" with ogonek, which is used in vowels to indicate nasalization, and in consonants to indicate palatalization. The pronunciation of the "i" with ogonek is similar to the vowel "e."
The second one is the letter "e" with a horizontal line, which is called a "macron," and indicates that the preceding vowel is long. For example, "ū" with a macron is long "ū."
The third one is the letter "y" with a diacritic mark "dot above," which indicates that the "y" is an alternative form of the letter "i."
Lithuanian Pronunciation
Lithuanian pronunciation can be quite challenging for some learners. However, with a little practice, you'll be able to master it!
One of the most critical things to keep in mind is that every Lithuanian word is stressed on the second-last syllable. Therefore, once you learn the stress pattern, you'll find it much easier to pronounce words correctly. Another essential thing to keep in mind is that Lithuanian is a phonetic language, meaning you read words exactly as they are written.
Here are some pronunciation tips to help you get started:
- Lithuanian vowels have a very specific sound, and it is essential to practice their pronunciation until you get it right.
- Vowel length is crucial in Lithuanian. In some cases, a single vowel can make the difference between two totally different words.
- Lithuanian has many diphthongs, or combinations of two vowels pronounced as a single sound.
- Lithuanian has a few consonant clusters made up of three or more consonants in a row, which can be challenging to pronounce at first.
To help you get started with Lithuanian pronunciation, I highly recommend using online resources such as the Forvo Lithuanian pronunciation guide and the Lithuanian Out Loud podcast.
Conclusion
In this lesson, we have covered the Lithuanian alphabet, including its vowels and consonants, special characters, and pronunciation rules. To become comfortable with Lithuanian pronunciation, it is essential to practice regularly and listen to native speakers as much as possible. In the next lesson, we will learn about the basic sentence structure in Lithuanian, including subject, verb, and object order, and how to form simple sentences.
Happy learning!
Excellent job on conquering this lesson! Consider delving into these related pages: Gendered Nouns & How to Use Have.
Videos
Lithuanian Lesson 2 - Alphabet - YouTube
Learn Lithuanian Alphabet - Letters/ Vowels E and Ę - YouTube
Other Lessons
- Plural Forms of Nouns and Adjectives
- Word Order
- Personal Pronouns
- Conjugation
- Describing People and Things
- Genitive Case
- Multipurpose Words and Suffixes
- Singular and Plural Nouns
- Future Tense
Sources
- Lithuanian Alphabet and Pronunciation
- Lithuanian language - Wikipedia
- Lithuanian - Wikibooks, open books for an open world
Template:Lithuanian-Page-Bottom
| Next Lesson — Basic Sentence Structure ▶️ |