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NA CONSAIN
The Consonants
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The Irish Consonants
The modern Irish consonants are b, c, d, f, g, l, m, n, p, r, s, and t.
We don't use j, k, q, v, w, x, y, or z.
'h' is sometimes used at the beginning of a word for grammatical reasons, and constantly used in
combination with certain Irish consonants in order to change how they're pronounced. When an 'h' is
used to change the way a consonant is pronounced, the consonant is said to be 'aspirated' or 'lenited.'
We'll learn more about these sound changes below.
Broad and Slender Consonants
Consonants are either broad or slender, depending upon the closest vowel.
If the closest vowel to the consonant in the same word is a broad vowel (i.e., a, o, or u), then the
consonant is a broad consonant.
If the closest vowel to the consonant in the same word is a slender vowel (i.e., e or i), then the
consonant is a slender consonant.
The poets took over the structure of the language in the 12th century and regularized its spelling and
grammar. Therefore, you won't see a broad vowel on one side of a consonant and a slender vowel on the
other side of the same consonant (thereby confusing whether it's broad or slender) unless the word is a)
written before the 12th century, 2) misspelled, 3) a foreign import, or 4) one of the few exceptions to this
rule. The rule is called "leathan le leathan, caol le caol" ("broad to broad, slender to slender"). Examples
include:
Liam The l is slender. The m is broad.
leabhar The l is slender. The bh is broad. The r is broad.
Meadhbh The m is slender. The dh and bh are both broad.
mainistreacha The m is broad. The n, s, t, and r are slender. The ch is broad.
It just depends on which vowel is closest.
Definition of a Broad Consonant
Definition of a Slender Consonant
Pronunciation of Simple Consonants
Simple consonants are consonants which are not aspirated, i.e. they don't have an 'h' directly following
them. For example, the 't' in tae is a simple consonant. The 't' in thae is an aspirated consonant.
You'll find that broad consonants are mostly pronounced the way they are in English. One major
distinction is that in proper Irish C can never be pronounced as an S, and G can never be pronounced as
a J.
You'll also see and hear that all slender consonants can be pronounced with or without a y-glide, which is
depicted by a y below. The y-glide sounds like 'yih' and is very short and faint. For example, ceann
('head') can be pronounced 'can', or 'c-yan' (with stress on the front as always).
Click on the consonants highlighted in blue below to see and hear how they are pronounced. Memorize
them.
Here's a summary of pronunciation for the simple consonants:
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Pronunciation of Aspirated Consonants
As noted above, when an 'h' is used to change the way a consonant is pronounced, the consonant is said
to be 'aspirated' or 'lenited.' This system of sound changes is the major difference between pronunciation
of Irish and other languages. L, N, and R have not been aspirated since the 12th century. Like the
simple consonants, all slender aspirated consonants can be pronounced with or without a y-glide.
Click the aspirated consonants highlighted in blue below to see and hear how they are pronounced.
Memorize them.
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bh
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KH or KHy This sound is made
while trying to say a K and
blowing air across the roof of
your mouth at the same time.
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dh
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GH This sound is made while trying to say a G
and gargling at the same time. Same as the
German GH.
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Yih
(This is the slender y-glide.)
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fh
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silent, go on and pronounce what follows
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silent, go on and pronounce
what follows
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gh
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exactly the same as dh broad
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exactly the same as dh slender
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l
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has not been aspirated since the 12th century
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has not been aspirated since
the 12th century
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mh
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exactly the same as bh broad
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exactly the same as bh slender
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n
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This cannot be aspirated.
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This cannot be aspirated.
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ph
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This cannot be aspirated.
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This cannot be aspirated.
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sh
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H or Hy (h with a y-glide)
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th
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H or Hy (h with a y-glide)
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