Vowels

Because it's hard to say anything without a vowel, we'll start with the vowels!

Long and short

Gaelic uses the five symbols a, o, u, i, e to represent a large number of Gaelic vowel sounds. This is achieved by using accents and by combining the five basic vowels in various ways. In Gaelic there are both short and long vowels (and they often differentiate different words, for more on that, check out this page). Long vowels are indicated by means of accents. There are two accents used in Scottish Gaelic:

• the acute ( ´ ) found only on the letters e and o (and á in the words á and ás)
• the grave ( ` ) found on a, o, u, i, e

The difference in pronunciation between a, o, u, i, e and à, ò, ù, ì, è respectively is one of pure length. The difference on the other hand between è, ò and é, ó respectively is one of quality. Listen to the difference between è and é and ò and ó:

[ʃɛː]	's e	[dʲeː]	dé
[ɔːL]	òl	[boː]	bó

Notice that 's e, pronounced [ʃɛː], is pronounced as if it were written *'s è.

Consider now the difference of length between a, o, u, i, e and à, ò, ó, ù, ì, è, é:

Short		Long
[kas]	cas	[kaːs]	càs
[dɔL]	dol	[ɔːL]	òl
[gob]	gob	[moːr]	mór
[kur]	cur	[uːr]	ùr
[min]	min	[miːn]	mìn
[bɛn]	bean	[ʃɛː]	's e
[tʲeh]	teth	[dʲeː]	dé

Open and rounded vowels

You may have noticed that there is a slight difference between the two short e sounds and the two short o sounds. These differences can be deducted from the spelling but it's not obvious so we'll explain that elsewhere. Listen to them again for now:

Open		Rounded
[dɔL]	dol	[gob]	gob
[bɛn]	bean	[dʲeː]	dé

More examples

Here are some more words to practice your pronunciation of Scottish Gaelic vowels:

Short [i] and long [iː]

Short [i] from i(o)
[rʲi]	ri	1 against 2 to
[rʲiʃ]	ris	1 against him 2 to him
[min]	min	flour
[ʃin]	sin	that
[triçgʲ]	tric	often
[miçgʲ]	mic	sons
[higʲ]	thig	come!
[Lʲihdʲɪrʲ]	litir	letter (n.)
[milɪʃ]	milis	sweet
[imɪç]	imich	go!
[sgʲiLʲɪNʲ]	sgillinn	penny
[fis]	fios	knowledge
[Lʲis]	lios	garden
[bir]	bior	point (n.)
[brʲigɪʃ]	briogais	trousers

Long [iː] (from i, ì, ìo)
[iːm]	ìm	butter (n.)
[miːn]	mìn	soft
[ʃiːn]	sìn	stretch!
[çiː]	chì	will see
[sgʲiː]	sgìth	tired
[dʲiːrʲəx]	dìreach	straight
[biːNʲ]	binn	sweet
[kʲiːNʲ]	cinn	heads
[tʲiːLʲ]	till	return!
[kʲiːLʲ]	cill	churchyard
[fiːr]	fìor	true (this speaker has the common variant [fiər])
[ʃiːs]	sìos	down! (this speaker has the common variant [ʃiərs])
[ʃiːdə]	sìoda	silk
[krʲiːx]	crìoch	border (n.) (this speaker has the common variant [krʲiəx])

Short [e] and long [eː]

Short [e] from e(i), ea
[dʲe]	de	of
[le]	le	1 with 2 by
[tʲeh]	teth	hot
[Lʲeh]	leth	half
[edər]	eadar	between
[kʲed]	cead	1 permission 2 right
[fed]	fead	whistle (n.)
[beg]	beag	small
[Lʲeg]	leag	chop down!
[krʲeg]	creag	cliff
[leʃ]	leis	with him
[kʲeʃdʲ]	ceist	question (n.)
[vel]	bheil	form of the verb tha

Long [eː] from é(i), eu
[dʲeː]	dé	what?
[əNʲ'dʲeː]	an-dé	yesterday
[feːm]	feum	use (n.)
[Lʲeːm]	leum	jump (n.)
[kʲeːm]	ceum	step (n.)
[ʃeːməs]	Seumas	James
[feːmɪ]	feumaidh	must
[heːn]	fhéin	self
[feː]	féidh	deer (plural)
[Reː]	réidh	level, flat
[Lʲeːrʲ]	léir	visible
[kʲeːlə]	céile	partner (n.)

Short [ɛ] and long [ɛː]

Short [ɛ] from e(a)
[fɛr]	fear	man
[bɛn]	bean	wife
[Lʲɛn]	lean	follow!
[ʃɛn]	sean	old
[Lʲɛbɪ]	leabaidh	bed (n.)

Long [ɛː] from è(i), ài
[ʃɛːv]	sèimh	quiet, calm
[grɛ̃ː]	gnè	gender
[ʃɛː]	's e	it is (as if it was spelled 's è)
[gɛː.əL]	Gàidheal	Gael
[pɛːhpɛr]	pàipear	paper (this speaker has the dialectal variant [paihbɛr])

Short [a] and long [aː]

Short [a] from a(i), ea
[ad]	ad	hat
[kas]	cas	leg
[kan]	can	say!
[maxg]	mac	a son
[abɪrʲ]	abair	say!
[aran]	aran	bread
[ahɪrʲ]	athair	father (n.)
[bahdə]	bata	bat, stick
[fadə]	fada	long
[baLəx]	balach	boy
[faLəv]	falamh	empty (this speaker has the common spoken variant [faLu])
[tahbɪ]	tapaidh	quick
[mah]	math	good
[balə]	baile	town
[kalag]	caileag	girl
[kaLʲəx]	cailleach	old woman
[madʲə]	maide	stick (n.)
[jax]	each	horse
[ʃaxg]	seachd	seven
[sbjaL]	speal	scythe
[dʲaLav]	dealbh	picture
[ʃaLag]	sealg	hunt!

Long [aː] from à(i), eà
[aːRd]	àrd	tall
[aLɪNʲ]	àlainn	wonderful
[baːRd]	bàrd	bard, poet
[baːʰdə]	bàta	boat
[Laːv]	làmh	hand (n.)
[Laːr]	làr	ground (n.)
[maːhɪrʲ]	màthair	mother
[aːʰdʲə]	àite	place (n.)
[saːl]	sàil	heel
[daːl]	dàil	delay (n.)
[kaːʃə]	càise	cheese
[kaːl]	càil	anything
[kaːNʲ]	càin	slander!
[taːrʲ]	tàir	base (adj.)
[gʲaːR]	gearr	short
[ʃaːR]	's fhearr	better
[dʲaːRsəx]	dearrsach	shining

Short [ɔ] and long [ɔː]

Short [ɔ] from o(i), eo
[Lɔx]	loch	loch
[ɔLə]	ola	wool
[ɔxg]	ochd	eight
[trɔd]	trod	scuffle
[dɔnə]	dona	bad
[sɔnə]	sona	happy
[bɔxg]	bochd	poor
[bɔdəx]	bodach	old man
[krɔ̃xk]	cnoc	hill
[sɔxgɪrʲ]	socair	gentle
[kɔLəx]	coltach	similar
[tɔhdʲ]	toit	smoke
[tɔl]	toil	desire (n.)
[kɔrʲə]	coire	kettle
[dʲɔx]	deoch	drink (n.)
[ʃɔ]	seo	this

Long [ɔː] from ò(i), eò
[ɔːL]	òl	drink!
[ɔːg]	òg	young
[mɔːd]	mòd	Mòd
[pɔːg]	pòg	kiss!
[tɔːR]	torr	a lot
[kɔːR]	corr	rest (n.)
[brɔːn]	bròn	sorrow
[sdrɔːn]	sròn	nose (n.)
[kɔːRd]	còrd	agree!
[bɔːRʃd]	bòrd	table
[kɔːʰdə]	còta	coat
[dɔ̃ː.əL]	Dòmhnall	Donald
[kɔːʰdə]	còta	coat
[gLɔːrʲ]	glòir	glory
[bɔːdʲ]	bòid	vow (n.)
[kɔːrʲ]	còir	right (n.)
[kʲɔːL]	ceòl	music
[ʃɔːL]	seòl	sail (n.)
[bjɔː]	beò	alive

Short [o] and long [oː]

Short [o] from o(i)
[bog]	bog	soft
[gob]	gob	mouth
[obɪrʲ]	obair	work (n.)
[tobər]	tobar	well (n.)
[komə]	coma	indifferent
[koməN]	comann	society
[o.ə]	ogha	nephew
[bo.ər]	bodhar	deaf
[Loʃgʲ]	loisg	burn!

Long [oː] from ó(i), -oghn-
[boː]	bó	cow
[koː]	có?	who?
[moːr]	mór	big
[moːrag]	Mórag	Morag
[moːran]	móran	a lot
[foːnɪ]	foghnaidh	will suffice
[koːgʲ]	cóig	five
[moːrʲ]	móir	big (genitive)

Short [u] and long [uː]

Short [u] from u(i), iu
[u]	ugh	egg
[du]	dubh	black
[muxg]	muc	pig
[rug]	rug	grabbed
[hug]	thug	gave
[bun]	bun	bottom
[kuhbə]	cupa	cup
[Luxg]	luchd	people
[kurʲ]	cuir	put!
[kulan]	cuilean	puppy
[tuhdʲ]	tuit	fall!
[flux]	fliuch	wet (adj.)
[ʃu.əL]	siubhal	walking

Long [uː] from ù(i), iù(i), -ionn
[uːr]	ùr	new
[kuː]	cù	dog
[kuːL]	cùl	rear (n.)
[duːn]	dùn	fortress
[Ruːn]	rùn	secret
[buː]	bùth	shop
[kruːbag]	crùbag	crab
[uːRLər]	ùrlar	floor (n.)
[suːl]	sùil	eye
[duːl]	dùil	expectation
[kuːʃ]	cùis	matter (n.)
[kʲuːRəɣ]	ciùrradh	hurt (n.)
[kʲuːNʲ]	ciùin	quiet (adj.)
[kʲul]	ciùil	music (genitive)
[ʃdʲuːrʲ]	stiùir	steer!
[ə'NuːL]	a-null	over (adv.)
[fjuːN]	fionn	fair (adj.)
[LʲuːN]	lionn	beer

Long [ɯː]

There are two other long vowels in Scottish Gaelic. The first is spelled ao and is pronounced like long ù but with the lips spread (i.e. not rounded). Listen to the following examples:

Long [ɯː] from aolike [uː] but with spread lips (grin like a maniac while saying it)
[kɯːL]	caol	narrow (adj.)
[gɯːL]	gaol	love (n.)
[sɯːr]	saor	free (adj.)
[dɯːr]	daor	expensive
[Rɯːn]	raon	area
[Lɯːɣ]	laogh	calf
[kɯːrə]	caora	sheep
[sɯː.əL]	saoghal	world
[ɯːʃ]	aois	age (n.)
[fɯːNʲ]	faoin	silly
[fɯːlag]	faoileag	seagull

Long [ɤː]

The other long vowel in Gaelic occurs in words spelled adh + consonant

[ɤː] from adh/agh + ConsonantYou can produce this sound by making an [oː] and spreading your lips at the same time (as if you were grinning widely).
[Lɤːran]	ladhran	sandpiper
[ɤːvər]	adhbhar	reason (n.)
[Rɤ̃ː.əL]	Raghnall	Ronald
[ɤːbrəN]	adhbrann	ankle

Short [ɯ] and Short [ɤ]

Note: Both of these long vowels ([ɯː] and [ɤː]) have short variants. The short form of ao occurs in some words spelled -ui-. The short form of adh + consonant occurs in words spelled -agh-, -adh- and in some words spelled with -oi-.

Short [ɯ] from ui. Like [ɯː] but short
[ɯʃgʲə]	uisge	water (n.)
[ɯʃag]	uiseag	lark

Short [ɤ] from -(e)agh, -(e)adh, -oi-
[ɤɣ]	agh	heifer
[Lɤɣ]	lagh	law
[drɤɣ]	dragh	worry (n.)
[ɤ.ərg]	adharc	horn
[Lɤ.ər]	ladhar	hoof
[tɤ.əɣ]	taghadh	election
[ʃɤɣ]	seadh	yes
[Lʲɤɣ]	leagh	melt!
[Lʲɤ.əɣ]	leaghadh	melting
[gɤdʲ]	goid	steal!
[kɤLʲə]	coille	wood, forest
[gɤrʲɪdʲ]	goirid	short
[kɤləx]	coileach	cockerel
[dɤrʲɤv]	doirbh	difficult

Summary

Summary Chart of Scottish Gaelic Vowels and common letter combinations used to represent these:

[i]	i, io		[iː]	ì, ìo
[e]	e, ea, ei		[eː]	é, éi, eu
[ɛ]	ea		[ɛː]	è, èi
[a]	a, ai, ea		[aː]	à, ài, eà
[ɔ]	o, oi, eo		[ɔː]	ò, òi, eò
[o]	o, oi		[oː]	ó, ói
[u]	u, ui, iu		[uː]	ù, ùi, iù, iùi, (u), io
[ɤ]	adh, agh, oi		[ɤː]	adhC, aghC
[ɯ]	ui		[ɯː]	ao, aoi