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Pronunciation
You may download all the sound files at once in this zipped archive.
Alphabet (abėcėlė)
| Letters |
English approximations |
Lithuanian examples |
Meanings |
| A, a |
father,
Sarah, cut |
1) namas, kaina
2) vargas, kaina |
house, price,
misery, price |
| Ą, ą |
father, car |
ąžuolas, žąsis, namą, rąstu |
oak, goose, house (acc.), log (instr.) |
| B, b |
but, rabbit |
bet, bėgti, pabandyti |
but, to run, to try |
| C, c |
mats, pizza |
tradicija, cukrus |
tradition, sugar |
| Č, č |
Church, match, chick |
čia, Čikaga |
here, Chicago |
| D, d |
door, bed |
dvejos durys, dabar |
two doors, now |
| E, e |
internet, met,
Al, mat |
1) bet, nes
2) ledas, ežeras, peršokti |
but, because,
ice, lake, overjump |
| Ę, ę |
Al, mat |
tęsti, pasimetęs, Kęstu, saulę |
to continue, lost, Kęstas (instr.), sun (acc.) |
| Ė, ė |
gay, French é |
lėlė, saulė |
doll, sun |
| F, f |
fact, photography |
faktas, fotografija |
fact, photography |
| G, g |
get, leg |
miegas, gerovė |
sleep, welfare |
| H, h |
hair, hello, hawk |
hobis, herbas |
hobby, blazon |
| I, i |
it, pill |
mintis, likimas |
thought, destiny |
| Į, į |
eat, peel, she |
įdomus, mįslė, medį |
interesting, riddle, tree (acc.) |
| Y, y |
eat, peel, she |
yra, lyti |
is/are, to rain |
| J, j |
you, young, buy |
jaunas, danguje |
young, sky (loc.) |
| K, k |
scope, skit, rack |
kalnas, naktis |
mountain, night |
| L, l |
loud, lick |
lapas, liepa |
leaf/page, July |
| M, m |
mouse, mix |
mama, mušti, miegas |
mother, to beat, sleep |
| N, n |
name, any |
namas, nenorėti |
house, to not want |
| O, o |
all, aw,
short aw |
1) voras, mano
2) telefonas |
spider, my,
telephone |
| P, p |
spoon, pick |
pinigai, kampas |
money, corner |
| R, r |
Spanish rolled r |
ranka, kardas, reklama |
hand, sword, advertisement |
| S, s |
city, similar |
vasara, sausra, senas |
summer, drought, old |
| Š, š |
she, shock |
karštas, šaltas, šitas |
hot, cold, this |
| T, t |
stop, cat |
tėtis, tortas, katė, net |
father, cake, cat, even |
| U, u |
pull, good |
ugnis, kurčias |
fire, deaf |
| Ų, ų |
ooze, boo! |
senų, mūsų, draugų |
old (gen.), our (gen.), friends (gen.) |
| Ū, ū |
ooze, boo! |
sūris, ūgis, ūgiu |
cheese, height, height (instr.) |
| V, v |
voice, raven |
vėliava, kvailys |
flag, dork |
| Z, z |
zebra, reason |
zona, vabzdys |
zone, insect |
| Ž, ž |
decision, vision |
Žakas, žalias, žydras |
Jaques, green, light blue |
Other consonants that are not in the alphabet:
Diphthongs (dvibalsiai)
Those of Lithuanian descent:
| Diphthongs |
English approximations |
Lithuanian examples |
Meanings |
| ai |
kite,
??? |
1) aitvaras,
2) laikas |
kite,
time |
| au |
bow,
no |
1) kaukė,
2) laukas |
mask,
field |
| ei |
???,
hey |
1) meilė,
2) keiksmas |
love,
swear |
| ie |
year, yeah |
ietis, pienas |
spear, milk |
| ui |
??? |
muilas, kuilys |
soap, boar |
| uo |
oo-ah, wah |
akmuo, ruoša |
rock, chore |
Those of other descent:
Nasal Vowels (Nosinės balsės)
What are nasal vowels, you ask? In modern Lithuanian, the nasal vowels (ą, ę, į, ų) simply indicate that the vowel is pronounced longly, no matter if its syllable is stressed or not (žąsis, saulę, įdomus, mūsų).
In the old days these vowels used to be uttered through the nose; hence the name - nasal vowels. Today they're still being marked due to tradition. On the other hand, they're not simple vowels - they indicate a long vowel, as mentioned.
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