Native American language
Native nations
Native American children
Character We Use: |
Sometimes Also Used: |
IPA symbol: | Achi pronunciation: |
a | a | Like the a in father. | |
e | e | Like the Spanish e, similar to the a in English gate. | |
i | i | Like the i in police. | |
o | o | Like the o in note. | |
u | v | u | Like the u in flute. |
Character We Use: |
Sometimes Also Used: |
IPA symbol: | Achi pronunciation: |
ay | ai | aj | Like English eye. |
ey | ei | ej | Like ey in English they. |
oy | oi | oj | Like oy in English boy. |
uy | ui | uj | like the uoy in English buoy. |
Character We Use: |
Sometimes Also Used: |
IPA symbol: | Achi pronunciation: |
b' | b | б | Like b in boy, only implosive. To English speakers, it sounds as if Maya speakers are 'swallowing' the b sound, similar to the way b is pronounced in Vietnamese. |
ch | č | t![]() |
Like ch in chair. |
ch' | č', chh, 'ch | t![]() |
Like ch, only glottalized (pronounced with a pop of air.) |
h | j | h | Like the h in hay. |
j | h, x | x | Like the raspy j in Spanish jalapeño. |
k | c, qu | k | Like k in key. |
k' | c', q'u, qu', ![]() |
![]() |
Like k, only glottalized (pronounced with a pop of air.) |
l | l ~ ![]() |
Like l in light. In some dialects this sound is flapped, like the ll in English bellow only pronounced more quickly (so that the tongue only flaps once against the top of the mouth.) | |
m | m | Like m in moon. | |
n | n | Like n in night. | |
p | p | Like the p in pie. | |
q | k | q | Like k only pronounced further back in the throat. This is the same sound as the q in Arabic. |
q' | k', ![]() |
![]() |
Like q, only glottalized (pronounced with a pop of air.) |
r | ![]() |
Like Spanish r, somewhat like the tt in English butter. | |
s | s | Like the s in sun. | |
t | t | Like the t in tell. | |
t' | tt | ![]() |
Like t, only glottalized (pronounced with a pop of air.) |
tz | ts, ¢ | ts | Like ts in cats. |
tz' | ts', ![]() |
t![]() |
Like tz, only glottalized (pronounced with a pop of air.) |
w | w | Like w in way. | |
x | š, sh | ![]() |
Like sh in shell. |
y | j | Like y in yes. | |
’ | 7 | ![]() |
A pause sound, like the one in the middle of the word "uh-oh." |
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