Okayy then..
Vuosttaš boddu - First lesson
Pronunciation
Sámi alphabet:
a á b c č d đ e f g h i j k l m n ŋ o p q r s š t ŧ u v z ž
Vowels
i - Like English i in sit. Can be long or short (sit-seed)
e - Like English e in bet or ver. Can be long or short too.
u - Like short oo sound (as in boot). Can be long too, though.
o - Like o in of or on. Can be long or short.
a - Like British a in father. A is always short!
á - Is same as a, but longer, and is often pronounced like Finnish ä or English a (in cat or bad).
Diphthongs:
ea - you should pronounce this as eä. Ä is like English a in cat or bag.
ii, ei - you should pronounce these as ij and ej
NOTE that á is short if it's before htt, hpp, hkk, hcc or hčč.
Eg.
báhcci! [pahhtsii] - stay!
Consonants
b - When starting a word like English p, but not air coming out of your mouth.
d - When starting a word like English t, but no air coming out of your mouth.
g - When starting a word like English k, but no air coming out of your mouth.
c - Ts, like in sits.
č - Like ch in cheese.
š - Like sh in sheep.
nj - N with very very little j (English y) after it.
j - Like y in yes
ŋ - Like n in rank or bank.
l - Like Finnish l, not soft like many times in English.
z - very short c.
ž - very short č.
đ - Like English th in this or them.
d - Is đ between 2nd and 3rd syllables, eg:
riegádit [riekaađiht], otherwise normal d.
r - rolling r.
ŧ - Like English th in thin.
And when a word ends with t, it's pronounced as ht.
Dat [taht]
When a word that ends with t is in the middle of a sentence, the -t is dropped.
Bures dat manná [pures tah mannaa]
Don leat Máret [Ton leäh Maareht]
And I think you are all familiar with the consonants I didn't mention.
There's also a schwa sound, but it isn't marked in texts. I'll mark it with ^ when giving a 'pronunciation guide'
Eg. Bearjadat [pear^jađaht] (=Friday)
And remember, that when I write h in the 'pronunciation guide' of a Sámi text, it has to be pronounced.
Then.. let's learn how to introduce oneself.
Most common way to say "My name is.." is "I am.."
Mun lean.. = I am..
Mun lean [leän] Iŋga - I am Iŋga (woman)
Mun lean [leän] Máret - I am Máret (woman)
Mun lean [leän] Máhtte - I am Máhtte (man)
Then some greetings:
Good morning! - Buore iđit [puore iđit]
Good day! - Buore beaivvi [puore peaivvii
Good evening! - Buore eahket [puore eahkeht]
Máret: Buore beaivvi [puore peaivvii]
Máhtte: Ipmel atti
Máret: De boahtá busse [Te poahtaa pussse].
Báze dearvan [paatse tear^van!]
Máhtte: Mana dearvan.
Translation:
- Good day.
- Good day. (Answer)
- The buss comes now (lit. Now comes buss). Goodbye! (From the one who's leaving)
- Goodbye! (To the one who's leaving)