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.