THE PRONONCIATION OF THE LETTERS
🗣️ PART 1: THE VOWELS
The vowels are clear, long, and very resonant. They play a crucial role in the rhythm of the language..
| Letter | Pronunciation | Example | Meaning |
| ------ | -------------------------- | ---------- | -------- |
| A | like "a" in *father* | *maʻa* | food |
| E | like "e" in *bed* or *say* | *te fenua* | the land |
| I | like "ee" in *see* | *maitaʻi* | good |
| O | like "o" in *go* | *ʻōrero* | speech |
| U | like "oo" in *moon* | *pua* | flower |
🟡 Note: Each vowel must be fully pronounced, even at the end of a word.
✨ Doubled or consecutive vowels
Each syllable is clearly heard, even when vowels follow one another:
ʻāi = to eat (the ʻ marks a pause)
maʻa = food → pronounced ma–pause–a
🗣️ PART 2: THE CONSONANTS
✅ Existing consonants:
| Letter | Sound | Example | Meaning |
| ------ | ------------------------ | -------- | ------- |
| F | like in English | *fare* | house |
| H | soft breathy *h* | *haere* | to go |
| M | like in English | *manu* | bird |
| N | like in English | *nui* | big |
| P | soft *p*, not explosive | *pua* | flower |
| R | lightly rolled | *ʻōrero* | speech |
| T | clean *t*, not aspirated | *tāne* | man |
| V | like *v* in English | *vahine* | woman |
🚫 Consonants absent from Tahitian:
There are no B, C, D, G, J, K, L, Q, S, W, X, Y, or Z.
👉 For example, instead of saying "salut," one says ia ora na!
🔊 PART 3: THE ʻETA (ʻ) – THE GLOTTAL STOP
The ʻeta, represented by a reversed apostrophe (ʻ), is a sharp stop in the voice, like a small pause.
It is very important because it changes the meaning of the word!
| Example | Meaning |
| -------- | -------------------- |
| *maʻa* | food |
| *faʻa* | to do / to make |
| *taʻata* | person / human being |
🔸 Tip: To pronounce it, imagine that you briefly hold your breath in the middle of the word.