Pronunciation Guide for Singing
Vowels
(long vowels in bold)
Phonetic
English
French
German
Italian
i
heed,beet
hid,bit
hate,bait
head,bet
huddle, by
hard,balm
had,bat
hot,bottle
who,boot
hood,book
but
Hugh, few
hurt
purpose
the
midi, lit
il
été aimer
mais, belle
la
âme
comme,mort
mot,eau, au
doux, nous
dur, une
deux, peu
fleur
lune
lent, quand, enfant
bon
fin, simple
un, chacun
Liebe
bitte
See, lesen
wenn, Bächlein
alle
Vater, Bahn
Sonne, dort
Sohn, wohl
Schuh,
um, Mutter
sűss, grűn
schön
können,
bitte
mio,destino
pena, sera

ecco, stella
amare,papa
foglia, lotto
sola, sospiro
fugare, tuo
-
written
English
French
German
Italian
b
c
bat
cat
ch
tsh, church
same
ca,co,cu = k
ce, ci = sce,ci,cy = ts
∫, sh = cher
d
f
g
touch ridge
fat
got or George
h
hat
j
k
l
m
n
ŋ
p
(ph)
qu
r
s
(z)
jelly
kilo
lap
map
nap
sing
pap
photo
queen
tongue on roof
sat
rose
shut
scot
sh
top
th
nation, patient
vat
wait
x –ray
final b = p
same
ca,co,cu = k
ca,co,cu = k
ce,ci = church
ich,ech = hew
chi,che=k
ach,och,uch=loch
final d = t
touch teeth
f
f
final g = k
ga,go,gu = got
ig = ich
ge, gi = George
Hahn, haben
silent
silent after a vowel
like y
only foreign
also ck=k
only foreign
ll = l
l
m
m
n
n
ng
nk or ng = ng
pf = cupful
same
like f
only foreign
kv
kw
flipped or rolled
flipped or rolled
s when ss or final s mostly s
z if single s+vowel z if between vowel
sh when initial sp/st
sch = sh∫
sch = sk
sca/sco/scu = sk
sce/sci = sh=∫
t
t
t then h
ts
like f (except foreign) same
v
ks
-
I
e

a
a
æ
o
u

۸
y
ø
œ
ә
a

œ
Consonants
(sh/sch)∫
(sc)
t
(th)
(tion/tient)
v
w
x
y
ds(z)
λ
àáèéêñöőäũĩбєөγ
Pronun1.doc
yellow
zebra
nya
silent at end
f
ga,go,gu = got
ge, gi =
silent
je, Jean
same
ll = l
final m silent
final n silent
final ng silent
final p silent
like f
k
flipped like italian
s/silent/z
z between vowels
z in liaison
sch like sh
sca/sco/scu = sk
sce/sci = sh=∫
silent at end
t
same
v
ks before consonant
gs before vowel
silent at end
z in liaison
y/j initial, also ii
z
ii or ű
ts like English it’s
ts or ds