LRInspire presents: the Lakota alphabet and pronunciation*.
Vowels
a- like a in father
e- like e in red
i- like ee in see
o- like o in go
u- like oo in boot
Example vowels
A- Até (father)
E- Blé (lake)
I- Iná (mother)
O- Ógle (shirt)
U- Igmú (cat)
Nasal vowels
aŋ sound ahŋ
iŋ sound eehŋ
uŋ sound ooŋ
Example nasal vowels
Aƞ- Aƞpétu (day)
Iƞ- Psíƞ (rice)
Uƞ- Uƞčí (grandmother)
Gutturals
ǧ- Aǧúyapi (bread)
ȟ- Ȟóta (gray)
kȟ- Kȟáƞta (plums)
pȟ- Pȟasú (nose)
tȟ- Tȟaté (wind)
Glottal stops
č’- č’ó (splashing)
k’- k’á (dig)
p’- p’ó (fog)
t’- t’á (to die)
Lakota alphabet
a- like a in father
aŋ- sound ahŋ
b- like b in boy
č- like ch in rich
čh- like ch in chase
č’- like ch but followed by glottal stop
e- like e in red
g- like g in get
ǧ- guttural g sound (no English equivalent)
h- like h in hit
ȟ- guttural h sound (no English equivalent)
i- like ee in see
iŋ- sound eehŋ
k- like k in kite
kh- sound kh
kȟ- guttural kȟ sound (no English equivalent)
k’- like k but followed by glottal stop
l- like l in lake
m- like m in mouse
n- like n in neck
o- like o in go
p- like p in price
ph- sound ph
pȟ- guttural pȟ sound (no English equivalent)
p’- like p but followed by glottal stop
s- like s in sit
š- like sh in ship
t- like t in take
th- like th in the
tȟ- guttural tȟ sound (no English equivalent)
t’- like t followed by a glottal stop
u- like oo in boot
uŋ- sound ooŋ
w- like w in water
y- like y in yell
z- like z in zero
ž- like s in pleasure
,- stop in the throat, like the stop in uh-oh
Posted and vocals by Wakinyan Waanatan (Matt Remle)
*Words and sounds are overemphasized for listeners first learning Lakota sounds and does not reflect everyday speech.
Thank you again !!!! This is awesome maybe I will actually be able to pronounce things properly, I would love to be fluent Lakota , I am fluent ?in English and Spanish.
Thank you! Love to know how to properly pronounce the words I see. I really appreciate this.
awesome!!!!!!! more more more more!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Very nice & educational. thank you
Wopila for the knowledge and the heritage that you provide. This has opened up a new life and a god of my understanding, Tunkashila Creator, as Mother Earth is our home
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