Table of Contents Animals Food Everyday Things Clothes Nature Colors Numbers Guide to Imitated Pronunciation List of Words Grammar: The Definite Article Guide to Imitated Pronunciation a is a as in father ah is a long a ai is the ai as in aisle e is e as in pet eh is e as in pet, but held for longer ee is ee, as in Pete e-oo is e followed by a very short oo sound, like a w ee-oo is ee followed by a very short oo sound, like a w i is i as in pit ih is i as in pit, but held for longer i-oo is i followed by a very short oo sound, like a w o is o as in pot oh is o as in pot, but held for longer, like the sound of aw in law oa is a long o as in boat (but without the w sound at the end), as in French beau oo is oo as in put ooh is a long oo, as in fool o-oo is o followed by a very short oo sound, like a w oy is oy as in boy ö is like the -ir in bird (but without the r sound), as in French peu or German schön öh is a long ö uh is like the -er in father (but without the r sound at the end) ü is an i sound with the lips rounded as if for a u sound, as in French tu or German müde üh is a long ü ü-oo is ü followed by a very short oo sound, like a w dh is th as in then hw is a breathy w, as in when and which kh is the guttural sound at the end of loch or Bach ng is the sound of ng in singer rr is a long r sh is the sh as in shop th is the th as in thick List of Words m = masculine, f = feminine, pl = plural, coll = collective Page One kath (f) cat, kathes (pl) kahth, ka-thes an gath (f) the cat, an kathes (pl) an gahth, an ka-thes ki (m) dog, keun (pl) kee, köhn an ki (m) the dog, an keun (pl) an kee, an köhn Page Two logosen (f) mouse, logos (coll) lo-go-zen, lo-gos an logosen (f) the mouse, an logos (coll) an lo-go-zen, an lo-gos Special note: When the plural denotes many individual mice rather than a mass of mice, then you use the plural form logosennow (lo-go-zen-no-oo). konin (m) rabbit, konines (pl) ko-nin, ko-nee-nes an konin (m) the rabbit, an konines (pl) an ko-nin, an ko-nee-nes Page Three bugh (f) cow, buhes (pl) bühkh, bü-hes an vugh (f) the cow, an buhes (pl) an vühkh, an bü-hes margh (m) horse, mergh (pl) markh, merkh an margh (m) the horse, an vergh (pl) an markh, an verkh Special note: The plural mergh is an exception and undergoes soft mutation. Page Four edhen (f) bird, ydhyn (pl) e-dhen, i-dhin an edhen (f) the bird, an ydhyn (pl) an e-dhen, an i-dhin owrbysk (m) goldfish, owrbuskes (pl) o-oor-bisk, o-oor-büs-kes an owrbysk (m) the goldfish, an owrbuskes (pl) an o-oor-bisk, an o-oor-büs-kes Page Five hos (m) duck, heyji (pl) hohz, heh-i-jee an hos (m) the duck, an heyji (pl) an hohz, an heh-i-jee kwilkyn (m) frog, kwilkynyow (pl) kwil-kin, kwil-kin-yo-oo an kwilkyn (m) the frog, an kwilkynyow (pl) an kwil-kin, an kwil-kin-yo-oo Page Six sarf (f) snake, serf (pl) sarf, serf an sarf (f) the snake, an serf (pl) an sarf, an serf kanker (m) crab, kankres (pl) kang-ker, kang-kres an kanker (m) the crab, an kankres (pl) an kang-ker, kang-kres Page Seven tykki Duw (m) butterfly, tykkiow Duw (pl) tik-kee dü-oo, tik-kee-o-oo dü-oo an tykki Duw (m) the butterfly, an tykkiow Duw (pl) an tik-kee dü-oo, an tik-kee-o-oo dü-oo moryonen (f) ant, moryon (coll) mor-yo-nen, mor-yon an voryonen (f) the ant, an moryon (coll) an vor-yo-nen, an mor-yon Special note: When the plural denotes many individual ants rather than a mass of ants, then you use the plural form moryonennow (mor-yo-nen-no-oo). Page Eight oy (m) egg, oyow (pl) oy, o-yo-oo an oy (m) the egg, an oyow (pl) an oy, an o-yo-oo bara (m) bread ba-ra an bara (m) the bread an ba-ra Page Nine keus (m) cheese, keusyow (pl) köhz, köz-yo-oo an keus (m) the cheese, keusyow (pl) an köhz, an köz-yo-oo grappa (m) grape, grappys or grappow (pl) gra-pa, gra-pis or gra-po-oo an grappa (m) the grape, an grappys or an grappow (pl) an gra-pa, an gra-pis or an gra-po-oo Page Ten tesen joklet (f) chocolate cake, tesennow choklet (pl) te-zen jok-let, te-zen-no-oo chok-let an desen joklet (f) the chocolate cake, an tesennow choklet (pl) an te-zen jok-let, an te-zen-no-oo chok-let dehen rew (m) ice cream, dehennow rew (pl) de-hen re-oo, de-hen-no-oo re-oo an dehen rew (m) the ice creams, an dehennow rew (pl) an de-hen re-oo, an de-hen-no-oo re-oo Page Eleven aval (m) apple, avalow (pl) a-val, a-va-lo-oo an aval (m) the apple, an avalow (pl) an a-val, an a-va-lo-oo owraval (m) orange, owravalow (pl) o-oor-a-val, o-oor-a-va-lo-oo an owraval (m) the orange, an owravalow (pl) an o-oor-a-val, an o-oor-a-va-lo-oo Page Twelve lymmaval (m) lemon, lymmavalow (pl) lim-ma-val, lim-ma-va-lo-oo an lymmaval (m) the lemon, an lymmavalow (pl) an lim-ma-val, an lim-ma-va-lo-oo banana (m) banana, bananas (pl) ba-na-na, ba-na-nas an banana (m) the banana, an bananas (pl) an ba-na-na, y ba-na-nas Page Thirteen karetysen (f) carrot, karetys (coll) ka-re-ti-zen, ka-re-tis an garetysen (m) the carrot, an karetys (coll) an ga-re-ti-zen, an ka-re-tis Special note: When the plural denotes many individual carrots rather than a mass of carrots, then you use the plural form karetysennow (ka-re-ti-zen-no-oo). aval kerensa (m) tomato, avalow kerensa (pl) a-val ke-ren-za, a-va-lo-oo ke-ren-za an aval kerensa (m) the tomato, an avalow kerensa (pl) an a-val ke-ren-za, an a-va-lo-oo ke-ren-za Page Fourteen sevien (f) strawberry, sevi (coll) se-vee-en, se-vee an sevien (f) the strawberry, an sevi (coll) an se-vee-en, an se-vee Special note: When the plural denotes many individual strawberries rather than a mass of strawberries, then you use the plural form seviennow (se-vi-en-no-oo). keresen (f) cherry, keres (pl) ke-re-zen, ke-res an geresen (f) the cherry, an keres (pl) an ge-re-zen, an ke-res Special note: When the plural denotes many individual cherries rather than a mass of cherries, then you use the plural form keresennow (ke-re-zen-no-oo). Page Fifteen sugen (m) juice, sugenyow (pl) sü-gen, sü-gen-yo-oo an sugen (m) the juice, an sugenyow (pl) an sü-gen, an sü-gen-yo-oo leth (m) milk, lethow (pl) lehth, le-tho-oo an leth (m) the milk, an lethow (pl) an lehth, an le-tho-oo dowr (m) water, dowrow (pl) do-oor, do-oo-ro-oo an dowr (m) the water, an dowrow (pl) an do-oor, an do-oo-ro-oo Page Sixteen kollell (f) knife, kelylli or kellyl (pl) kol-lel, ke-lil-lee or kel-lil an gollell (f) the knife, an kelylli or an kellyl (pl) an gol-lel, an ke-lil-lee or an kel-lil lo (f) spoon, loyow (pl) loh, lo-yo-oo an lo (f) the spoon, an loyow (pl) an loh, an lo-yo-oo forgh (f) fork, fergh (pl) forkh, ferkh an forgh (f) the fork, an fergh (pl) an forkh, an ferkh Page Seventeen pluven (f) pen, pluvennow (pl) plü-ven, plü-ven-no-oo an bluven (f) the pen, an pluvennow (pl) an blü-ven, an plü-ven-no-oo pluven blomm (f) pencil, pluvennow plomm (pl) plü-ven blomm, plü-ven-o-oo plomm an bluven blomm (f) the pencil, an pluvennow plomm (pl) an blü-ven, an plü-ven-o-oo plomm Page Eighteen lyver (m) book, lyvrow (pl) li-ver, li-vro-oo an lyver (m) the book, an lyvrow (pl) an li-ver, an li-vro-oo lyver notennow (m) notebook, lyvrow notennow (pl) li-ver no-ten-no-oo, li-vro-oo no-ten-no-oo an lyver notennow (m) the notebook, an lyvrow notennow (pl) an li-ver no-ten-no-oo, an li-vro-oo no-ten-no-oo Page Nineteen jynn-amontya (m) computer, jynnow-amontya or jynnys-amontya (pl) jinn a-mon-tya, jin-no-oo a-mon-tya or jin-nis a-mon-tya an jynn-amontya (m) the computer, an jynnow-amontya or an jynnys-amontya (pl) an jinn a-mon-tya, an jin-no-oo a-mon-tya or an jin-nis a-mon-tya klapkodh (f) mobile phone, klapkodhow (pl) klap-kodh, klap-ko-dho-oo an glapkodh (f) the mobile phone, an klapkodhow (pl) an glap-kodh, an klap-ko-dho-oo Special note: Alternative words for mobile phone are kellgowser (m) (kel-go-oo-zer), kellgowsoryon (pl) (kel-go-oo-zor-yon), and pellgowsell (f) (pel-go-oo-zel), pellgowsellow (pl) (pel-go-oo-zel-lo-oo). Page Twenty sagh (m) bag, seghyer (pl) sahkh, sekh-yer an sagh (m) the bag, an seghyer (pl) an sahkh, an sekh-yer kist (f) box, kistyow (pl) keest, kist-yo-oo an gist (f) the box, an kistyow (pl) an geest, an kist-yo-oo Page Twenty-One moos (f) table, mosow (pl) moaz, moa-zo-oo an voos (f) the table, an mosow (pl) an voaz, an moa-zo-oo kador (f) chair, kadoryow (pl) ka-dor, ka-dor-yo-oo an gador (f) the chair, an kadoryow (pl) an ga-dor, an an ka-dor-yo-oo Page Twenty-Two alhwedh (m) key, alhwedhow (pl) al-hwedh, al-hwe-dho-oo an alhwedh (m) the key, an alhwedhow (pl) an al-hwedh, an al-hwe-dho-oo mirour (m) mirror, mirours (pl) mee-roor, mee-roors an mirour (m) the mirror, an mirours (pl) an mee-roor, an mee-roors Special note: An alternative word for mirror is gweder-mires (m) (gweder-mee-res), gwedrow-mires (pl) (gwed-ro-oo-mee-res). Page Twenty-Three pel (f) ball, pelyow (pl) pehl, pel-yo-oo an bel (f) the ball, an pelyow (pl) an behl, an pel-yo-oo gitar (m) guitar, gitaryow (pl) gi-tahr, gi-tar-yo-oo an gitar (m) the guitar, an gitaryow (pl) an gi-tahr, an gi-tar-yo-oo Page Twenty-Four hatt (m) hatt, hattow or hattys (pl) hat, hat-to-oo or hat-tis an hatt (m) the hat, an hattow or an hattys (pl) an hat, an hat-to-oo or an hat-tis howlwedrow (pl) sunglasses ho-ool-wed-ro-oo an howlwedrow (pl) the sunglasses an ho-ool-wed-ro-oo kota (m) coat, kotow or kotys (pl) koh-ta, ko-to-oo or ko-tis an kota (m) the coat, an kotow or an kotys (pl) an koh-ta, an ko-to-oo or an ko-tis Page Twenty-Five lodrik (m) sock, lodrigow (pl) lod-rik, lod-ree-go-oo an lodrik (f) the sock, an lodrigow (pl) an lod-rik, an lod-ree-go-oo eskis (f) shoe, eskisyow (pl) es-kis, es-keez-yo-oo an eskis (f) the shoe, an eskisyow (pl) an es-kis, an es-keez-yo-oo Page Twenty-Six gwedhen (f) tree, gwydh (coll) gwe-dhen, gwihdh an wedhen (f) the tree, an gwydh (coll) an we-dhen, an gwihdh Special note: When the plural denotes many individual trees rather than a mass of trees, then you use the plural form gwedhennow (gwe-dhen-no-oo). bleujen (f) flower, bleujyow (coll) blö-jen, blöj-yo-oo an vleujen (f) the flower, an bleujyow (coll) an blö-jen, an blöj-yo-oo Special note: When the plural denotes many individual flowers rather than a mass of flowers, then you use the plural form bleujennow (blö-jen-no-oo). delen (f) leaf, del or delyow (coll) de-len, dehl or del-yo-oo an dhelen (f) the leaf, an del or an delyow (coll) an dhe-len, an dehl or an del-yo-oo Special note: When the plural denotes many individual leaves rather than a mass of leaves, then you use the plural form delennow (de-len-no-oo). Page Twenty-Seven pympbys (m) starfish, pympbyses (pl) pimp-bis, pimp-bi-zes an pympbys (m) the starfish, an pympbyses (pl) an pimp-bis, an pimp-bi-zes krogen (f) shell, kregyn (pl) kro-gen, kre-gin an grogen (f) the shell, an kregyn (pl) an gro-gen, an kre-gin The Definite Article: The The definite article the is an. The definite article an causes singular feminine nouns to take the soft mutation. Plural masculine nouns denoting people also take the soft mutation after the definite article an. For example, tus to an dus (men/people), and gwarioryon to an warioryon (players). An addition to this rule is mergh to an vergh (horses). Singular feminine nouns and masculine animate plural nouns that begin with b, ch, d, g ,k, m, p and t undergo soft mutation. Examples of the soft mutation are: bugh to vugh (cow), dragon to dhragon (dragon), gaver to aver (goat), goodh to woodh (goose), kath to gath (cat), myrgh to vyrgh (daughter), penn-seythen to benn-seythen (weekend) and tra to dra (thing). Special note: In the soft mutation, go- and gu- mutate to wo- and wu-, gro- and gru- mutate to wro- and wru-. For example, godh changes to wodh (mole) and gwrowsen to wrowsen (gooseberry). Before all other letters, g- is dropped. For example, garr changes to arr (leg) and gras to ras (thanks). For example: an dyskador an dis-ka-dor the teacher (male) an dhyskadoryon (from an + dyskadoryon) an dhis-ka-dor-yon the teachers (male) an dhyskadores (from an + dyskadores) an dhis-ka-do-res the teacher (female) an dyskadoresow an dis-ka-do-re-zo-oo the teachers (female) an kaner an ka-ner the singer (male) an ganoryon (from an + kanoryon) an ga-nor-yon the singers (male) an ganores (from an + kanores) an ga-no-res the singer (female) an kanoresow an ka-no-re-zo-oo the singers (female) an chilader an chi-la-der the burglar (male) an jiladron (from an + chiladron) an ji-lad-ron the burglars (male) an jiladres (from an + chiladres) an ji-la-dres the burglar (female) an chiladresow an chi-la-dre-zo-oo the burglars (female) an tas an tahz the father an dasow (from an + tas) an da-zo-oo the fathers an vamm (from an + mamm) an vam the mother an mammow an mam-mo-oo the mothers an venyn (from an + benyn) an ve-nin the woman an benenes an be-ne-nes the women an gollell (from an + kollell) an gol-lel the knife an kelylli or an kellyl an ke-lil-lee or an kel-lil the knives an bows (from an + pows) an bo-ooz the dress an powsyow an po-oo-zyo-oo the dresses an lann (from an + glann) an lan the bank (of river etc) an glannow an glan-no-oo the banks (of river etc) an woon (from an + goon) an woan the moor an gonyow an guhn-yo-oo the moors an lo de an loh deh the teaspoon an loyow te an lo-yo-oo teh the teaspoons Special note: The word te (tea) mutates to de after the singular feminine noun lo (spoon). However, it does not mutate after a plural feminine noun loyow (spoons). This rule can also be seen with other nouns following either feminine singular nouns or masculine plural nouns denoting people. For example, tesen gales (biscuit) and tesennow kales (biscuits), melin wyns (windmill) and melinyow gwyns (windmills) as well as lewyer kyttrin (bus driver) and lewyoryon gyttrin (bus drivers) and medhek dens (dentist) and medhogyon dhens (dentists). There are exceptions to this rule. A word that begins with either k-, p-, or t- does not mutate after a feminine singular noun or a masculine plural noun denoting men if it ends with either -th or -s. So for example, loyas te (teaspoonful), mowes teg (pretty girl), an yeth kernewek (the Cornish language) and finweth tooth (speed limit). Most speakers also extend this to the phrase nos da! (good night!) instead of the expected nos dha!. Collective nouns do not mutate after an. Note that the collective and the plural have different meanings. For example: an avanen (the raspberry), an avanennow (the raspberries, countable) and an avan (the raspberries, uncountable) an gnowen dhor (the peanut), an knowennow dor (the peanuts, countable) and an know dor (the peanuts, uncountable) an gnowen goko (the coconut), an knowennow koko (the coconuts, countable) and an know koko (the coconuts, uncountable) an selsigen (the sausage), an selsigennow (the sausages, countable) and an selsik (the sausages, uncountable) an wenenen (the bee), an gwenennow (the bees, countable) and an gwenen (the bees, uncountable) an biesen (the magpie), an piesennow (the magpies, countable) and an pies (the magpies, uncountable) an vlewen (the hair), an blewennow (the hairs, countable) and an blew (the hair, uncountable) an welsen (the blade of grass), an gwelsennow (the blades of grass, countable) and an gwels (the grass, uncountable) an lughesen (the bolt of lightning), an lughesennow (the bolts of lightning, countable) and an lughes (the lightning, uncountable) an dewesen (the grain of sand), an tesennow (the grains of sand, countable) and an tewes (the sand, uncountable) The definite article an always causes dew (two, masc) and diw (two, fem) to mutate to dhew and dhiw. Following these rules, dual nouns which always begin with either dew- or diw- also mutate after the definite article an. For example, an dhewlagas (the eyes) and an dhiwskovarn (the ears). Special note: Words that follow dew and diw also undergo mutation and stay singular. For example, an dhew vaw (the two boys, from an + dew + maw) and an dhiw vowes (the two girls, from an + diw + mowes). Special note: The word dydh (day) takes the irregular form jydh after the definite article. For example: an jydh (from an + dydh) an jihdh the day an dedhyow an dedh-yo-oo the days Special note: After dew (two), dydh takes the more regular form dhydh to become dew dhydh (two days). The word dyowl (devil) takes the irregular form jowl after the definite article. For example: an jowl (from an + dyowl) an jo-ool the devil The word dor (earth, ground, soil) has two forms after the definite article. It may be the expected an dor or it may also be found as an nor when it means the earth as opposed to heaven, an nev. This form may also be found in the word an norvys (the world) or an Norvys (the Earth). Another common word for the world is an bys.