Latin Pronunciation Card (text version)
Church Latin is read the way it is written. These are the sounds you need for the Rosary.
- a: say “ah”. Example: Ave (AH-veh).
- e: say “eh”. Example: Dei (DEH-ee).
- i: say “ee”. Example: in (een).
- o: say “oh”. Example: ora (OH-rah).
- u: say “oo”. Example: tu (too).
- æ, œ: say “eh”. Example: cæli (CHEH-lee).
- c before e, i, æ, œ: say “ch”. Example: Crucis (KROO-chees).
- c elsewhere, ch: say “k”. Example: Christum (KREES-toom).
- g before e, i: say “j”. Example: Regina (reh-JEE-nah).
- gn: say “ny”. Example: Signum (SEEN-yoom).
- qu: say “kw”. Example: qui (kwee).
- sc before e, i: say “sh”. Example: descendit (deh-SHEN-deet).
- ti before a vowel: say “tsee”. Example: grátia (GRAH-tsee-ah).
- j, or i before a vowel: say “y”. Example: Iesus (YEH-soos).
- h: say “silent”. Example: hora (OH-rah).
- mihi, nihil: say “k”. Example: nihil (NEE-keel).
- th: say “t”. Example: Thomas (TOH-mahs).
- x: say “ks”. Example: dextram (DEKS-trahm).
- accent mark ( ´ ): say “stress”. Example: María (mah-REE-ah).
Every vowel is pure and short. Double consonants are held a little longer. Capital letters in the guides mark stress.
Source: latinrosary.org · Updated
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