| A | ah | as in father | example: Amen |
| E | eh | as in bet | example: ventris |
| I | ee | as in machine | example: sicut |
| O | oh |
as in order [or as in flow without the final "w" sound] |
example: non |
| U | oo | as in tulip | example: tua |
| Y | ee | pronounced exactly like Latin I sound | example: hymnus |
| Æ | eh | pronounced exactly like Latin E sound | example: æterna |
| Œ | eh | pronounced exactly like Latin E sound | example: cœli |
|
AI AU EI EU |
ah-ee ah-oo eh-ee eh-oo |
pronounce both vowels, elongating the first |
examples: ait laudamus Dei meus |
|
UA UE UI UO |
oo-ah oo-eh oo-ee oo-oh |
after Q, pronounce QU like KW, then pronounce the 2nd vowel |
examples: qua quem quid quoniam |
|
AA EE II OO UU |
ah-ah eh-eh ee-ee oh-oh oo-oo |
Doubled vowels are each pronounced. |
example: Filii [All three Is are pronounced.] |
| B | b | as in bat | example: bonæ |
| C | k | as in cut before consonants; before A, O, U; or at the end of a word |
examples: sacris cantate con sicut huic |
| ch | as in child before E, I, Y, Æ, Œ |
examples: parce dulcis cymbalum cælestis cœli |
|
| CC | tch | as in catch before E, I, Y, Æ, Œ |
examples: ecce accipite |
| k | as in cut before A, O, U |
example: peccata |
|
| CH | k | as in cut | example: Christus |
| D | d | as in down | example: dona |
| F | f | as in feet | example: filio |
| G | g | as in gold before consonants (except N) or before A, O, U |
examples: gratias gaude virgo singulis |
| j | as in gem before E, I, Y, Æ, Œ |
examples: genuit fregit |
|
| GN | ny | as in canyon |
examples: magnam agnus |
| H | k | as in key |
in mihi and nihil; otherwise SILENT! |
| J | y | as in yet |
examples: ejus Jesu [now often written as I] |
| K | k | as in key | example: kalendæ |
| L | l | as in light | example: liber |
| M | m | as in moon | example: meum |
| N | n | as in nice | example: donec |
| P | p | as in pan | example: Petrus |
| PH | f | as in phone | example: propheta |
| Q | k |
as in key [always followed by UA, UE, UI, or UA] |
examples: quando atque quid quoque |
| R | rolled slightly |
as d in teddy; never as American R |
examples: regina terra |
| S | s |
as in sing; never Z as in rise |
examples: semper miserere |
| SC | sk | as in scale before A, O, U |
examples: requiescat cognosco obscura |
| sh | as in shine before E, I, Y, Æ, Œ |
examples: descendit suscitans |
|
| SCH | sk | as in school |
examples: schola paschali |
| T | t | as in time before all letters except i + vowel; and at ends of words |
examples: sanctum timeas erat |
| TH | t | as in thyme | example: catholicam |
| TI | tsee | as in tse-tse fly before a vowel and preceded by any letter except S, T, X |
examples: gratia sitio |
| tee | as in tea before a vowel and after S, T, X |
example: modestia |
|
| V | v | as in vine | example: virgine |
| X | gs | as in exam after E, at the beginning of a word, followed by a vowel | example: exaudi |
| ks | as in tax followed by a consonant or at the end of a word |
examples: excelsis lux |
|
| Z | dz | as in seeds |
example: Lazarus |
See CNP Latin Index