How do you pronounce "sõprus" (friendship) in Estonian?

In this blog post, we will learn how to pronounce "sõprus" (friendship) in Estonian. The correct pronunciation is /ˈsɤprus/.

Understanding the Estonian Alphabet

To pronounce "sõprus" correctly, it's important to first understand the Estonian alphabet. The Estonian language has a total of 32 letters, including special characters such as õ, ä, ö, and ü. By familiarizing yourself with each letter and its corresponding sound, it'll be easier to pronounce Estonian words.

Pronouncing Special Characters: Õ

In Estonian, the õ is a unique character and its pronunciation differs from the standard English o sound. The sound of õ is similar to the English /ɤ/ as in "bird" or "stir", but pronounced with rounded lips. To pronounce "sõprus" correctly, remember that the õ has a /ɤ/ sound.

Pronouncing the Word "Sõprus"

Now that we understand the Estonian alphabet and the pronunciation of õ, let's break down "sõprus" into its individual syllables and pronounce it step by step:

1. s – Pronounce it as /s/ like the standard English "s"

2. õ – Pronounce it as /ɤ/ (the unique Estonian sound mentioned earlier)

3. pr – Pronounce it as /pr/ like English "p" followed by "r"

4. u – Pronounce it as /u/ like the English "ou" in "group"

5. s – Pronounce it as /s/ like the standard English "s"

Put it all together, and you get /ˈsɤprus/. And there you have it – the correct pronunciation of "sõprus" (friendship) in Estonian!