Manx Gaelic (Manx Gaelic: Gaelg) Is the main language of the Isle of Man. It evolved from Primitive Irish, along with the other Celtic languages. Its closest relatives are Irish Gaelic and Scots Gaelic. All children on the Isle of Man learn it in primary and secondary school, and some grow up bilingual. There is also a small number of native speakers as well.
Pronunciation guide
Manx Gaelic is a very phonetic language, meaning that words are spoken the way they are spelt. Certain letters are sometimes interchangeable.
Vowels
a â
(Short) Like "a" in "cat", (with circumflex) like "a" in "pale".
e ê
Like "e" in "bed", (with circumflex) like "ea" in "fear".
i î
Like "i" in "pin".
o ô
Like "o" in "hot", (with circumflex) like "oa" in "moat".
u
Like "a" in "cat" or "o" in "hot".
w
Like "u" in "put".
y
Like "u" in "hut" or "i" in "bird". The word y is pronounced like the "e" in "bed".
Consonants
b
Like "b" in "bat".
c
Like "c" in "cat".
ch
Like "ch" in "bach".
d
Like "d" in "door".
f
Like "f" in "feet".
g
Like "g" in "get".
h
Like "h" in "hot".
l
Like "l" in "late".
m
Like "m" in "mud".
n
Like "n" in "no".
p
Like "p" in "park".
ph
Like "ph" in "philosopher".
r
Like "r" in "run" but slightly trilled.
s
Like "s" in "sat".
t
Like "t" in "trip".
Common digraphs
aa, ea, ai
Like "ea" in "fear".
ae, oi
Like "i" in "pin".
au, aw, ou, ow
Like "oo" in "food".
ay, ei
Like "e" in "bed".
ee, iy
Like "ee" in "feet".
eo
Like "ayo" in "mayonaise".
eu, iu, ew, iw
Like "you".
ia
Like "ia" in "victoria".
ie
Like "igh" in "high".
io
Like "yo" in "yoke".
oa, ua, wa
Like "wha" in "whack".
oe
Like "owe" in "mower".
oh
Like "oo" in "door".
oo
Like "oo" in "food".
ui, wi
Like "wi" in "with".
çh
Like "ch" in "cheese".
gh
Like "ch" in "bach".
lh, ll
Like "lj" in "ljubljana".
qu
Like "c" in "cat".
rr
Like "r" in "run" but slightly trilled.
sh
Like "sh" in "she".
ss
Like "ss" in "likeness".
th
Like "t" in "trip".
Common trigraphs
aie, eie, eue, oie
Like "ea" in "yeah".
aue, iwe, oue
Like "we" in "wet".
eau, eoi
Like "ai" in "air".
iau
Like "oo" in "food".
ieu, iou
Like "yew".
uiy
Like "we".
woa
Like "wha" in "whack".
çh
Like "ch" in "cheese".
gh, ght
Like "ch" in "bach".
Common tetragraphs
iooa
Like "You what?" without the "t".
Phrase list
Basics
Common signs
OPEN
Open
CLOSED
Closed
ENTRANCE
Entrance
EXIT
Exit
PUSH
Push
PULL
Pull
TOILET
Toilet
MEN
Men
WOMEN
Women
FORBIDDEN
Forbidden
Hello.
Hello. (HEH-low)
Hello. (informal)
Hi. (HIGH)
How are you?
How are you? (HOW ah YOO?)
Fine, thank you.
Fine, thank you. (FIGHN, then KYOO)
What is your name?
What is your name? (WUT iz yer NAYM?)
My name is ______ .
My name is ______ . (Migh NAYM iz _____ .)
Nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you. (NIGHSS t' meet YOO)
Please.
Please. (pleez)
Thank you.
Thank you. (THANK yoo)
You're welcome.
You're welcome. (yuhr WEL-kuhm)
Yes.
Yes. (YESS)
No.
No. (NOH)
Excuse me. (getting attention)
Excuse me. (ehkz-KYOOZ mee)
Excuse me. (begging pardon)
Excuse me. (ehkz-KYOOZ mee)
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry. (IGHM SAW-ree)
Goodbye
Goodbye. (GUHD-bigh.)
Goodbye (informal)
Bye. (BIGH)
I can't speak name of language [well].
I can't speak English [well]. (IGH cant speek ING-lush [wehl])
Do you speak English?
Do you speak English? (doo YOO speek ING-lush?)
Is there someone here who speaks English?
Is there someone here who speaks English? (IZ thayr SUM-wun heer hoo speekz ING-lush?)
