Esperanto Orthography - Sound Values

Sound Values

The letters have approximately the sound values of the IPA, with the exception of c and the circumflex letters ĉ, ĝ, ĥ, ĵ, ŝ, ŭ . J transcribes two sounds, consonantal (the English y sound) and vocalic .

There is a nearly one-to-one correspondence of letter to sound; the only significant exceptions being voicing assimilation, as in the sequence kz of ekzemple, which is frequently pronounced, and n, which is frequently pronounced before g and k. (See Esperanto phonology.)

Non-Esperantized names are given an Esperanto approximation of their original pronunciation, at least by speakers without command of the original language. Hard ⟨c⟩ is read as k, ⟨qu⟩ as kv, ⟨w⟩ as v, ⟨x⟩ as ks, and ⟨y⟩ as j if a consonant, or as i if a vowel. The English digraph ⟨th⟩ is read as t. When there is no close equivalent, the difficult sounds may be given the Esperanto values of the letters in the orthography or roman transcription, accommodating the constraints of Esperanto phonology. So, for example, Winchester (the English city) is pronounced (and may be spelled) vinĉester : Esperanto ŭ cannot appear word-initially, and Esperanto has no rhotic vowels. Changzhou generally becomes ĉanĝo, as Esperanto has no ng or ou sound. There are no strict rules, however; speakers may try for greater authenticity, for example by pronouncing the g and u in Changzhou: ĉangĝoŭ . The original stress may be kept, if it is known.