Pronunciation Guide

Question 1

What are the letters of the Latin Alphabet?

Answer 1

A B C D E F

G H I K L M

N O P Q R

S T U V X

Note: Some sources will use J for the consonant form of I. Others (including historical sources) will use V instead of U.

Question 2

What is a macron?

Answer 2

A macron is a horizontal bar accent above some vowels in Latin.

Macrons help with pronouncing and differentiating certain words. Normally, a vowel with a macron is longer than one without. Macrons also sometimes affect word stress.

Latin vowels with macrons: ā, ē, ī, ō, ū

Question 3

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

A

Answer 3

_a_ha!

Note the subtle difference in the sound of the two vowels in this word (they may be too similar to tell apart).

Question 4

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

Ā

Answer 4

ah_a_!

Note the subtle difference in the sound of the two vowels in this word (they may be too similar to tell apart).

Question 5

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

B

Answer 5

_b_at

Question 6

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

C

Answer 6

_c_at

In Latin, C is never pronounced like S.

Question 7

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

D

Answer 7

_d_og

Question 8

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

E

Answer 8

b_e_t

Question 9

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

Ē

Answer 9

b_ai_t

Question 10

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

F

Answer 10

_f_og

Question 11

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

G

Answer 11

_g_olf

Note: In Latin, G is never pronounced like at the end of, e.g. gouge.

Question 12

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

H

Answer 12

_h_eat

Question 13

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

I

(vowel)

Answer 13

w_i_t

Question 14

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

Ī

Answer 14

wh_ea_t

Question 15

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

I

(consonant)

Answer 15

_Y_ellow

e.g. _i_us, _i_uris

Note that sometimes, this letter may be written as a J.

Question 16

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

K

Answer 16

_C_amp

Question 17

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

L

Answer 17

_l_osing

Question 18

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

M

Answer 18

_m_ake

Question 19

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

N

Answer 19

_n_ow

Question 20

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

O

Answer 20

_o_dd

Question 21

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

Ō

Answer 21

_o_de

Question 22

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

P

Answer 22

_p_lant

Question 23

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

Qu

Answer 23

_qu_ick

Note: QU is pronounced in Latin just like it is in English, but not like it is pronounced in French.

Question 24

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

R

Answer 24

po_r_t

Note: In Latin, R is sometimes given a slight roll.

Question 25

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

S

Answer 25

_s_tamp

Note: In Latin, S is never pronounced like Z (e.g. his).

Question 26

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

T

Answer 26

_t_rot

Question 27

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

U

Answer 27

l_oo_k

Note that sometimes, this letter may be written as a V.

Question 28

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

Ū

Answer 28

L_u_ke

Question 29

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

V

Answer 29

_w_ater

Note: In Latin, V is never pronounced like in English (e.g. vase).

Question 30

What does this letter sound like in Latin?

X

Answer 30

re_x_, sti_cks_, fi_gs_

Note: In Latin, X is the combination of a K (or G) with an S. It is never pronounced like a Z like “xylophone,” and it is never pronounced gutterally like in German.

Question 31

What does this diphthong sound like in Latin?

ae

Answer 31

eye

Question 32

What does this diphthong sound like in Latin?

au

Answer 32

h_ow_

Question 33

What does this diphthong sound like in Latin?

ei

Answer 33

_ei_ght

Question 34

What does this diphthong sound like in Latin?

eu

Answer 34

_Eu_rope

Question 35

What does this diphthong sound like in Latin?

oe

Answer 35

f_oi_l

Question 36

What does this diphthong sound like in Latin?

ui

Answer 36

g_ooey_

This diphthong only exists in five words: huius, cuius, huic, cui, hui.

Otherwise, the two vowels are pronounced separately.

Question 37

Where is the stress in this word:

sum

Answer 37

sum

Because sum has only one syllable, that syllable must be the last one in the word (the ultima). The ultima is never stressed in Latin.

Question 38

Where is the stress in this word?

laudat

Answer 38

‘lau.dat

Because laudat has two syllables, the stress is always on the penult (the penultimate, or “almost-last” syllable).

Question 39

Where is the stress in this word:

parāmus

Answer 39

pa.‘rā.mus

Because the penult has a macron, it automatically gets the stress.

Question 40

Where is the stress in this word:

cassiopeia

Answer 40

cas.si.o.‘pei.a

Because the penult has a diphthong (ei), it is stressed.

Question 41

Where is the stress in this word:

insula

Answer 41

‘in.su.la

Because insula has three syllables, and the penult has no macron or diphthong, the stress is on the antepenult (the “before-almost-last” syllable).

Question 42

Where is the stress in this word:

agricola

Answer 42

a.‘gri.co.la

Because the penult has no macron or diphthong, the stress is on the antepenult (the “before-almost-last” syllable). The stress cannot be on any syllables other than the penult or antepenult.