Many consonants are pronounced similarly to English, but some have no direct equivalent and require special attention. The language also includes digraphs - letter pairs that are considered single consonants in the alphabet, such as ch, gh, ng, tlh, and ' (the glottal stop).
In the follow descriptions, words and letters in italics refer to English words and letters, while words and letters in bold refer to tlhIngan Hol words and letters.
– b – bay
As in bronchitis, gazebo, or bribe. Some speakers say this as m and b together.
– c – chay
As in chew or artichoke.
– d – Day
Similar to English d in dream or android, but farther back. Let the tongue touch halfway between the teeth and the soft palate.
– g – ghay
Voiced version of H, like gargling with voice.
– h – Hay
As in German Bach, unvoiced and coarse.
– j – jay
Like junk, with an initial “d” sound. Never like in French.
– l – lay
As in lunge.
– m – may
As in mud.
– n – nay
As in net.
– f – ngay
As in thing, but it can begin a syllable.
– p – pay
Like pop, with a strong puff of air.
– k – qay
Back-of-throat k-like sound.
– q – Qay
More intense, raspy version of q.
– r – ray
Lightly trilled or rolled.
– s – Say
Like English s, but with tongue in D position.
– t – tay
Like tap, with a puff of air.
– x – tlhay
Say an l, but hold the position of your tongue, then blow air along sides of it.
– v – vay
As in vulgar.
– w – way
Like wow. Sometimes pronounced as Hw or Huw
– y – yay
As in yodel.
– z – qaghwI'
Glottal stop. Like the break in uh-oh.
Consonants are pronounced forcefully and clearly. Many require practice to master, especially H, Q, tlh, and '.
