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Welcome to our Bribri alphabet page! The following charts show the pronunciation for the Bribri orthography we have used on our site, as well as some alternate spellings that you may find in other books and websites.
Character We Use: |
Sometimes Also Used: |
IPA symbol: | Bribri pronunciation: |
a | a ~ ə | Like the a in father. Sometimes, especially in the beginning of a word, it is pronounced more like the a in about. | |
e | e | Like the e sound in Spanish, similar to the a in gate. | |
ë | I | Like the i in bit. | |
i | i | Like the i in police. | |
o | o | Like the o in note. | |
ö | ![]() |
Like the oo in book. | |
u | u | Like the u in flute. |
Character We Use: |
Sometimes Also Used: |
IPA symbol: |
a | ã | ã |
e | ẽ | ẽ |
i | ĩ | ĩ |
o | õ | õ |
u | ũ | ũ |
Character We Use: |
Sometimes Also Used: |
IPA symbol: | Bribri pronunciation: |
b | b | Like b in boy. | |
ch | č | t![]() |
Like ch in chair. |
d | d | Like the d in day. | |
j | h | h ~ x | Like h in hay. Sometimes it is pronounced more raspily, like the j in the Spanish word jalapeño. |
k | c, qu | k | Like the k in kiss. |
l | r | ![]() |
Similar to 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. | |
![]() |
ng | ŋ | Like the ng in sing. |
ñ | ñ | Like ny in canyon. | |
p | p | Like p in pin. | |
rr | r | r | Like the rolling rr in Spanish perro. |
s | s | Like s in sun. | |
sh | x | ![]() |
Like sh in shell. |
t | t | Like the t in tell. | |
tk | kt | tk | This is a coarticulated sound that does not exist in English. It is actually a k and t pronounced simultaneously. |
ts | tz | ts | Like the ts in cats. |
w | hu | w | Like w in way. |
y | ll, j | d![]() |
Like j in jar. |
’ | h, ? | ![]() |
A pause sound, like the one in the middle of the word "uh-oh." |
a | low tone |
à | high tone |
á | falling tone |
â | rising tone |
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