| Marshallese consonants |
| IPA |
Examples |
English approximations |
Notes |
| bʲ |
Epjā |
beach |
between vowels |
| bˠ |
|
subway |
between vowels |
| dˠ |
otem |
dust |
between vowels |
| ɡ |
Pikinni |
again |
between vowels |
| ɡʷ |
O̧kwōj |
guano |
between vowels |
| k |
|
stuck |
|
| kʷ |
Kuwajleen, Kwaron̄ |
equal |
|
| lʲ |
Kōle |
leave (RP) |
|
| ɫ |
M̧aļoeļap |
bill |
|
| ɫʷ |
Jabtoļon̄e, Lo̧ļwe |
Galway, well wisher |
|
| mʲ |
Mile |
meat |
|
| mˠ |
M̧ajeļ, M̧weeņļap |
gym wear |
|
| nʲ |
Epoon |
near |
|
| ɳˠ |
Arņo |
barn (rhotic accents) |
retroflex |
| ɳʷ |
|
earn wealth (rhotic accents) |
retroflex |
| ŋ |
aelōn̄ |
sung |
|
| ŋʷ |
Ron̄ļap |
wrong way |
|
| pʲ |
Pikinni |
peace |
|
| pˠ |
Bokaak, bwil |
sleepwear |
|
| r̪ʲ |
Amedka |
N\A |
similar to Hungarian r |
| rˠ |
Pikaar |
rat (trilled) |
|
| rʷ |
Jo̧rwe, Nim̧ur |
roof (trilled) |
|
| tˠ |
Ruot |
tough |
|
| tʲ |
jouj |
meet you, bless you |
|
| zʲ |
|
his yarn |
between vowels |
|
| Vowels |
| IPA |
Allophones |
Example |
English approximations |
| a |
æ, æ͡ɑ, æ͡ɒ, ɑ͡æ, ɑ, ɑ͡ɒ, ɒ͡æ, ɒ͡ɑ, ɒ |
Ānewetak, io̧kwe |
bat, father, rock |
| ɜ |
ɛ, ɛ͡ʌ, ɛ͡ɔ, ʌ͡ɛ, ʌ, ʌ͡ɔ, ɔ͡ɛ, ɔ͡ʌ, ɔ |
Lae, Wōtto |
get, saw, stub |
| ɘ |
e, e͡ɤ, e͡o, ɤ͡e, ɤ, ɤ͡o, o͡e, o͡ɤ, o |
Aelok, Jālwōj |
boat, great |
| ɨ |
i, i͡ɯ, i͡u, ɯ͡i, ɯ, ɯ͡u, u͡i, u͡ɯ, u |
Aur, Likiep, Wūjae |
goose, green |
|
