Slovak Pronunciation Guide

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A a, Á á, Ä ä, B b, C c, Č č, D d, Ď ď, Dz dz, Dž dž, E e, É é, F f, G g,
H h, Ch ch, I i, Í í, J j, K k, L l, Ĺ ĺ, Ľ ľ, M m, N n, Ň ň, O o, Ó ó, Ô ô, P p,
Q q, R r, Ŕ ŕ, S s, Š š, T t, Ť ť, U u, Ú ú, V v,
W w, X x, Y y, Ý ý, Z z, Ž ž

Slovak is a Slavic language.

The letters d, n, and t are usually softened when followed by e or i.

Letters not listed below are pronounced approximately as in English.
--Dick Oakes


A, a   - a as in father (short)
Á á   - a as in father (long)
Ä ä   - e as in let
E, e   - e as in let
É, é   - prolonged e as in where
I, i   - i as in machine (short)
Í, í   - i as in machine (long)
O, o   - o as in gone (short)
Ó, ó   - o as in gone (long)
Ô, ô   - the dipthong uo as in whoa
U, u   - u as in duke
Ú, ú   - u as in duke (long)
Y, y   - i as in machine (short); same as I, i
Ý, ý   - i as in machine (long); same as Í, í
 
C, c   - c as in dance
Ch, ch   - ch as in loch
Č, č   - c as in cello
Ď, ď   - a soft dy (the apostrophe on ď, rather than the caron, is preferred in typesetting)
Dz, dz   - dz adze
DŽ, dž   - dg as in edge
J, j   - y as in yes
Ľ, ľ   - ly as in halyard
Ĺ, ĺ   - ll in million
Ň, ň   - ny as in canyon
R, r   - slightly rolled
Š š   - s as in sugar
Ť ť   - t as in tune
W, w   - v as in van (found only in foreign words)
Ž ž   - z as in azure

Copyright © 2007 by Dick Oakes


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