Module 01 · Sounds and spelling · Skaņas un rakstība · Level A1
E/Ē and O: hearing the difference
E/Ē un O izruna
This lesson covers pronunciation that cannot always be inferred from spelling alone. Listen to the whole word first, then repeat it while preserving vowel length.
Narrow and broad e/ē
| Sound | Examples | Practice cue |
|---|---|---|
| narrow e/ē | es, te, sēdēt | the tongue is slightly higher and the sound more closed |
| broad e/ē | melns, dēls, vēl | open the mouth more; do not turn it into a diphthong |
The spelling does not mark this contrast, so learn a new word together with its pronunciation and check reliable audio or a dictionary.
The letter o
- In native Latvian words it often represents [uo]: ola, ozols, dot.
- In loanwords it commonly represents [o]/[oː]: opera, telefons, balkons.
Minimal pairs
| Short | Long | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| kazas | kāzas | goats — wedding |
| pile | pīle | drop — duck |
| sals | sāls | frost — salt |
| tevi | tēvi | you — fathers |
Self-check
- Which sound does o usually represent in ozols?
- Why can you not always pronounce e in one fixed way?
- Name two pairs in which length changes meaning.
Answers
1) The diphthong [uo]. 2) Latvian has narrow and broad e/ē, but spelling does not distinguish them. 3) For example: kazas–kāzas, pile–pīle.
Open the lesson in the trainer — with exercises and a “done” mark →Module test 01