πΈπ΄
Somali Alphabet
Osmanya
Osmanya script was invented in the 1920s by Osman Yusuf Kenadid to write the Somali language. It is named after its inventor and represents the sounds of Somali with 22 letters.
Osmanya Consonants
| Character | Name | Romanization | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| π | Alef | a | like 'a' in 'art' |
| π | Ba | b | like 'b' in 'ball' |
| π | Ta | t | like 't' in 'top' |
| π | Ja | j | like 'j' in 'jam' |
| π | Xa | x | pharyngeal fricative |
| π | Kha | kh | like 'ch' in Scottish 'loch' |
| π | Dal | d | like 'd' in 'day' |
| π | Ra | r | rolled r |
| π | Sa | s | like 's' in 'sun' |
| π | Shin | sh | like 'sh' in 'shoe' |
| π | Dha | dh | retroflex d |
| π | Cayn | c | voiced pharyngeal |
| π | Ga | g | like 'g' in 'go' |
| π | Fa | f | like 'f' in 'fun' |
| π | Qa | q | uvular stop |
| π | Ka | k | like 'k' in 'king' |
| π | La | l | like 'l' in 'love' |
| π | Ma | m | like 'm' in 'moon' |
| π | Na | n | like 'n' in 'no' |
| π | Wa | w | like 'w' in 'wet' |
| π | Ha | h | like 'h' in 'hat' |
| π | Ya | y | like 'y' in 'yes' |
Osmanya Vowels
| Character | Name | Romanization | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| π | A | a | like 'a' in 'father' |
| π | E | e | like 'e' in 'bed' |
| π | I | i | like 'i' in 'sit' |
| π | O | o | like 'o' in 'go' |
| π | U | u | like 'u' in 'put' |
| π | Aa | aa | long 'a' sound |
| π | Ee | ee | long 'e' sound |
| π | Oo | oo | long 'o' sound |