Buí: click here to see videos

The word buí in Irish means "yellow". It is like the word "be" in English, with an important difference: the [b] is broad. In the case of [b], that means it is velarized and may be rounded. Normally to say the [b] in English "be" the tongue body needs to be high and forward in the mouth, and the lips are unrounded. In the videos here, notice how the tongue is high and back before it moves forward to make the "ee" vowel. Though you can't see it in these videos, the lips may also be rounded during the [b]. These things are what gives [b] the broad (velarized) quality, making the word sound something like "bwee" instead of "be". (Click on the word above to see the videos. Use the settings wheel in the video to slow any video down.)

B'fhiú: click here to see videos

The word (or phrase) b'fhiú in Irish means "it would be worth". It is like the word "boo" in English, with an important difference: the [b] is slender. That means it is both palatalized and unrounded. Normally to say the [b] in English "boo" the tongue body needs to be high and back in the mouth, and the lips are rounded. In the videos here, notice how the tongue is high and forward before it moves backward to make the "oo" vowel. Though you can't see it in these videos, the lips are also unrounded during the [b]. These things are what gives [b] the slender (palatalized) quality, making the word sound something like "byoo" (or "bew") instead of "boo". (Click on the word above to see the videos. Use the settings wheel in the video to slow any video down.)

Faoi: click here to see videos

The word faoi in Irish means "about". It is like the word "fee" in English, with an important difference: the [f] is broad. In the case of [f], that means it is velarized and may be rounded. Normally to say the [f] in English "fee" the tongue body needs to be high and forward in the mouth, and the lips are unrounded. In the videos here, notice how the tongue is high and back before it moves forward to make the "ee" vowel. Though you can't see it in these videos, the lips may also be rounded during the [f]. These things are what gives [f] the broad (velarized) quality, making the word sound something like "fwee" instead of "fee". (Click on the word above to see the videos. Use the settings wheel in the video to slow any video down.)

Fiú: click here to see videos

The word fiú in Irish means "worth". It is like the syllable "foo" in English, with an important difference: the [f] is slender. That means it is both palatalized and unrounded. Normally to say the [f] in English "foo" (or "food") the tongue body needs to be high and back in the mouth, and the lips are rounded. In the videos here, notice how the tongue is high and forward before it moves backward to make the "oo" vowel. Though you can't see it in these videos, the lips are also unrounded during the [f]. These things are what gives [f] the slender (palatalized) quality, making the word sound something like "few" instead of "foo". (Click on the word above to see the videos. Use the settings wheel in the video to slow any video down.)

Tuí: click here to see videos

The word tuí in Irish means "straw". It is like the word "tea" in English, with an important difference: the [t] is broad, or velarized. Normally to say the [t] in English "tea" the tongue body needs to be high and forward in the mouth. In the videos here, notice how the tongue is back before it raises and moves forward to make the "ee" vowel. This is what gives [t] the broad (velarized) quality, giving the word a slight quality of "twee" instead of "tea". (Click on the word above to see the videos. Use the settings wheel in the video to slow any video down.)

Tiús: click here to see videos

The word tiús in Irish means "thickness". It is like a (pretend) word "toose" in English, with an important difference: the [t] is slender. This means it is both palatalized and unrounded. Normally to say the [t] in English "toose" (or "tooth") the tongue body needs to be high and back in the mouth, and the lips are rounded. In the videos here, notice how the tongue is high and forward before it moves backward to make the "oo" vowel. Though you can't see it in these videos, the lips are also unrounded during the [t] but become round during "oo". These things are what gives [t] the slender (palatalized) quality, making the word sound something like "tyoose" instead of "toose". (Click on the word above to see the videos. Use the settings wheel in the video to slow any video down.)

Suí: click here to see videos

The word suí in Irish means "sitting". It is like the word "sea" in English, with an important difference: the [s] is broad, or velarized. Normally to say the [s] in English "sea" the tongue body needs to be high and forward in the mouth. In the videos here, notice how the tongue is back before it raises and moves forward to make the "ee" vowel. This is what gives [s] the broad (velarized) quality, giving the word a slight quality of "swee" instead of "sea". (Click on the word above to see the videos. Use the settings wheel in the video to slow any video down.)

Siúl: click here to see videos

The word siúl in Irish means "walking". It is like a (pretend) word "sool" in English, with an important difference: the [s] is slender. This means it is both palatalized and unrounded. Normally to say the [s] in English "sool" (or "suit") the tongue body needs to be high and back in the mouth, and the lips are rounded. In the videos here, notice how the tongue is high and forward before it moves backward to make the "oo" vowel. Though you can't see it in these videos, the lips are also unrounded during the [t] but become round during "oo". These things are what gives [s] the slender (palatalized) quality, making the word sound something like "shool" instead of "sool". (Click on the word above to see the videos. Use the settings wheel in the video to slow any video down.)

Caoi: click here to see videos

The word caoi in Irish means "way" or "means". It is like the word "key" in English, with an important difference: the [k] is broad, or velarized. Normally to say the [k] in English "key" the tongue body needs to be high and forward in the mouth. In the videos here, notice how the tongue is back before it moves forward to make the "ee" vowel. This is what gives [k] the broad (velarized) quality, giving the word a quality of "kwee" instead of "key". (Click on the word above to see the videos. Use the settings wheel in the video to slow any video down.)

Ciúnas: click here to see videos

The word ciúnas in Irish means "silence". It is like a (pretend) word "cooness" in English, with an important difference: the [k] is slender. This means it is both palatalized and unrounded. Normally to say the [k] in English "cooness" (or "cool") the tongue body needs to be high and back in the mouth, and the lips are rounded. In the videos here, notice how the tongue is high and forward before it moves backward to make the "oo" vowel. Though you can't see it in these videos, the lips are also unrounded during the [k] but become round during "oo". These things are what gives [k] the slender (palatalized) quality, making the word sound something like "cue-ness" instead of "cooness". (Click on the word above to see the videos. Use the settings wheel in the video to slow any video down.)

Chaoin: click here to see videos

The word chaoin in Irish means "cried". It is something like the (pretend) word "heen" in English, with an important difference: the [h] is broad, or velarized. (The Irish sound is actually not [h] but a similar sound transcribed [x].) Normally to say the [h] in English "heen" (or "he") the tongue body needs to be high and forward in the mouth. In the videos here, notice how the tongue is back before it raises and moves forward to make the "ee" vowel. This is what gives [h] the broad (velarized) quality, giving the word a quality of "hween" instead of "heen". (Click on the word above to see the videos. Use the settings wheel in the video to slow any video down.)

Chiúnaí: click here to see videos

The word chiúnaí in Irish means "hushed". It is like a (pretend) word "hooney" in English, with an important difference: the [h] is slender. (The Irish sound is actually not [h] but a similar sound transcribed [x].) This means it is both palatalized and unrounded. Normally to say the [h] in English "hooney" (or "who") the tongue body needs to be high and back in the mouth, and the lips are rounded. In the videos here, notice how the tongue is high and forward before it moves backward to make the "oo" vowel. Though you can't see it in these videos, the lips are also unrounded during the [h] but become round during "oo". These things are what gives [h] the slender (palatalized) quality, making the word sound something like "hyooney" instead of "hooney". (Click on the word above to see the videos. Use the settings wheel in the video to slow any video down.)