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Track 2: Vowels and Diphthongs


The five vowels: a  e  i  o  u.

a: da, jam, sana, kantas, staranta
e: ne, dek, bele, dekstren, depende
i: li, min, fini, vibris, distingi
o: do, ok, mono, montros, kolombo
u: ĉu, sub, punu, vundus, gustumu

mixed vowels: bone, maro, kuŝas, libro, elefanto, monumento, tablo

vowel sequences: balai, teo, troa, bruo, tiea, praavo, neeble, neniigi, heroo, ĝuus

the six diphthongs: aj  aŭ  ej  eŭ  oj  uj

aj: kaj, rajtas, belaj
aŭ: naŭ, laŭta, antaŭ
ej: plej, hejmen, Cejlono
eu: feŭda, neŭtrala, Eŭropo
oj: sojlo, viroj, vojojn
uj: tuj, Anglujo, kiuj

distinguish: veno / vejno;  melo / mejlo

don't slur: internacia, materialo, supozas

Here are some ways of using this recording:

  1. As a pronunciation model. Listen carefully to the whole recording. Then listen again, and this time repeat each example yourself, aloud, in the brief pause which follows it.
  2. To associate sound and spelling. All words given as examples in the recording are spelt out above. Look at their written form as you listen to their spoken form. Esperanto spelling is so simple and consistent that you will soon have no difficulty in writing down a word when you hear it said or in pronouncing it when you see it spelt.
  3. For ear training. To check your ability to recognise and discriminate the sounds of Esperanto, put this text out of sight; then listen to the recording and try to write down, in Esperanto spelling, each example quoted. Then check your attempt against the text above. If you find that you have made a mistake, listen carefully to the difference between the sound you thought was spoken and the sound that was actually spoken.

Text and commentary J. C. Wells, 1969.