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| Our system uses Latin letters for simple learning |
Consonants:
- ç - Glottal stop - Similar to the interruption in 'uh-oh!'.
- j - Similar to the 's' in 'measure', or 'g' in 'beige'.
- x - Voiceless pharyngeal fricative - Breathy 'h' sound, as if you were fogging up a glass with your breath.
- k - Similar to Spanish 'j', or Scottish 'ch'.
- c - Like 'sh' in 'shell', or 'ch' in 'champagne'.
- ý - Voiced pharyngeal fricative - Sound produced when the flow of air through the throat is partially choked off.
- g - Similar to French 'r'.
- q - Like 'k' in 'kiosk'.
- ş, ð, ţ, ź - Emphatic versions, produced with the back of the tongue raised towards the roof of your mouth.
- č - Voiceless uvular stop - 'K' sound in the back of the throat.
- š - Like 'th' in 'thin'.
- ž - Like 'th' in 'then'.
- ģ - Like 'g' in 'goat'.
- b, d, f, h, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, v, w, y - All similar to English.
Note: Consonants č, š, ž, are rarely used in spoken Lebanese, these sounds are reserved for classicisms. Consonants ģ, p, v, are only used in words of foreign origin.
Short Vowels:
- a - As 'a' in 'bat'.
- i - As 'i' in 'sit'.
- u - As 'u' in 'put', or oo in 'foot'.
- e - As 'e' in 'bet'.
- o - As 'u' in 'putt', or 'hut'.
Long Vowels:
- â - As 'a' in 'bar'
- î - As 'i' in 'ski', or 'machine'.
- û - As 'u' in 'rude', or 'oo' in 'mood'.
- ê - Similar to 'ay' in Southern 'say', or French 'ê' in 'êtê'.
- ô - As 'a' in 'talk', 'aw' in 'hawk', or French 'ô' in 'côte'.
