Pronunciation Guide Flashcards

Use this deck to learn the basic rules of Latin pronunciation.

1
Q

What are the letters of the Latin Alphabet?

A

A B C D E F

G H I K L M

N O P Q R

S T U V X

Note: Some sources will use J for the consonant form of I. Others (including historical sources) will use V instead of U.

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2
Q

What is a macron?

A

A macron is a horizontal bar accent above some vowels in Latin.

Macrons help with pronouncing and differentiating certain words. Normally, a vowel with a macron is longer than one without. Macrons also sometimes affect word stress.

Latin vowels with macrons: ā, ē, ī, ō, ū

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3
Q

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

A

A

_a_ha!

Note the subtle difference in the sound of the two vowels in this word (they may be too similar to tell apart).

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4
Q

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

Ā

A

ah_a_!

Note the subtle difference in the sound of the two vowels in this word (they may be too similar to tell apart).

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5
Q

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

B

A

_b_at

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6
Q

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

C

A

_c_at

In Latin, C is never pronounced like S.

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7
Q

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

D

A

_d_og

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8
Q

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

E

A

b_e_t

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9
Q

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

Ē

A

b_ai_t

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10
Q

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

F

A

_f_og

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11
Q

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

G

A

_g_olf

Note: In Latin, G is never pronounced like at the end of, e.g. gouge.

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12
Q

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

H

A

_h_eat

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13
Q

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

I

(vowel)

A

w_i_t

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14
Q

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

Ī

A

wh_ea_t

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15
Q

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

I

(consonant)

A

_Y_ellow

e.g. _i_us, _i_uris

Note that sometimes, this letter may be written as a J.

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16
Q

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

K

A

_C_amp

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17
Q

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

L

A

_l_osing

18
Q

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

M

A

_m_ake

19
Q

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

N

A

_n_ow

20
Q

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

O

A

_o_dd

21
Q

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

Ō

A

_o_de

22
Q

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

P

A

_p_lant

23
Q

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

Qu

A

_qu_ick

Note: QU is pronounced in Latin just like it is in English, but not like it is pronounced in French.

24
Q

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

R

A

po_r_t

Note: In Latin, R is sometimes given a slight roll.

25
Q

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

S

A

_s_tamp

Note: In Latin, S is never pronounced like Z (e.g. his).

26
Q

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

T

A

_t_rot

27
Q

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

U

A

l_oo_k

Note that sometimes, this letter may be written as a V.

28
Q

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

Ū

A

L_u_ke

29
Q

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

V

A

_w_ater

Note: In Latin, V is never pronounced like in English (e.g. vase).

30
Q

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

X

A

re_x_, sti_cks_, fi_gs_

Note: In Latin, X is the combination of a K (or G) with an S. It is never pronounced like a Z like “xylophone,” and it is never pronounced gutterally like in German.

31
Q

What does this diphthong sound like in Latin?

ae

A

eye

32
Q

What does this diphthong sound like in Latin?

au

A

h_ow_

33
Q

What does this diphthong sound like in Latin?

ei

A

_ei_ght

34
Q

What does this diphthong sound like in Latin?

eu

A

_Eu_rope

35
Q

What does this diphthong sound like in Latin?

oe

A

f_oi_l

36
Q

What does this diphthong sound like in Latin?

ui

A

g_ooey_

This diphthong only exists in five words: huius, cuius, huic, cui, hui.

Otherwise, the two vowels are pronounced separately.

37
Q

Where is the stress in this word:

sum

A

sum

Because sum has only one syllable, that syllable must be the last one in the word (the ultima). The ultima is never stressed in Latin.

38
Q

Where is the stress in this word?

laudat

A

‘lau.dat

Because laudat has two syllables, the stress is always on the penult (the penultimate, or “almost-last” syllable).

39
Q

Where is the stress in this word:

parāmus

A

pa.‘rā.mus

Because the penult has a macron, it automatically gets the stress.

40
Q

Where is the stress in this word:

cassiopeia

A

cas.si.o.‘pei.a

Because the penult has a diphthong (ei), it is stressed.

41
Q

Where is the stress in this word:

insula

A

‘in.su.la

Because insula has three syllables, and the penult has no macron or diphthong, the stress is on the antepenult (the “before-almost-last” syllable).

42
Q

Where is the stress in this word:

agricola

A

a.‘gri.co.la

Because the penult has no macron or diphthong, the stress is on the antepenult (the “before-almost-last” syllable). The stress cannot be on any syllables other than the penult or antepenult.