Vowels

Pronunciation

Examples

a = ah

as in father

ad, mater

e = eh

as in met

te, video

i = ee

as in machine, feet

in, qui

o = aw

as in bought

gloria, omnis

u = oo

as in tutor, coo

cum, summus

Two Vowels Together

Pronunciation

Examples

ae = eh

as in met

prae, illae

oe = eh

as in met

coelum, coepi

au = ah and oo

two distinct syllables

aut, lauda

eu = eh and oo

two distinct syllables

euge

Consonants

Pronunciation

Examples

c (before e,i, ae, oe)

as ch in church

certus, cibus

ch=k

as in ache

Christus

g (before e ,i, ae, oe)

soft, as in gentle

gens, agit

g (before other letters)

hard, as in go

gratis

gn

ny as in canyon

agnus, ignis

h

silent

except h sounds as k in mihi, nihil

j (or consonant i)

as y in yes

Jesus, Justus

r

slightly rolled on the tongue

carnis

s

as s in sing
(never z as in raise)

miser, fides

sc (before a, o, u or a consonant )

as sc in scope

scutum, Pascha

sc (before e, i, oe, ae, and i)

as sh in shall

descendit, scio

th

as t in ten

Thomas

ti (when followed by a vowel
and proceeded by any letter
except s, t, or x)

as tsee

gratia, etiam

x (in words beginning ex-
and followed by a vowel, h, or s )

as ks

exaudi, pax

xc (before e, ae, oe, i)

as ksh

excelsis =ekshelsees

z

as dz

zizania