Luxembourgish alphabet and key pronunciation rules
Can recognize and pronounce Luxembourgish letters including ë, é, ä and apply the N-rule
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Lëtzebuerg ass e schéint Land.
Luxembourg is a beautiful country.
Ech schwätzen eng aner Sprooch.
I speak another language.
D'Kanner spillen dobaussen.
The children play outside.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
D'Lëtzebuergescht Alfabet benotzt déi latäinesch Buschtawen mat e puer Sonderzeechen: ä, ë, é, ö, ü.
| Buschtaf | Aussprooch | Beispill |
|---|---|---|
| ë | Schwa-Laut [ə] | Lëtzebuerg |
| é | geschlossent e [e] | éischten (éischt) |
| ä | oppent e [ɛ] | Bräich (Brauch) |
| ei | [ɑɪ] | Zäit, Wäin |
| ou | [əʊ] | Rous (Rose) |
| ue | [uə] | Buer (Brunnen) |
Wichteg: Den ë ass ee ganz kuerze Vokal (Schwa), deen et nëmmen am Lëtzebuergeschen gëtt. Hien kënnt am Wuert Lëtzebuerg zwee Mol vir.
N-Reegel (Eifeler Regel): En -n um Enn vun engem Wuert fält virun engem Konsonant ewech: ech sinn → ech si (virun K), awer ech sinn et (virun Vokal).
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises
Practice ExercisesLearners struggle with ë (schwa) and the N-rule
Mispronouncing ë as a full vowel instead of schwa
ë is always a short, unstressed schwa [ə] — like the 'a' in English 'about'
Keeping final -n before a consonant or dropping it before a vowel
N-rule: final -n drops before consonants, stays before vowels and n/d/t/z/h
Lëtzebuerg ass e schéint Land.
Luxembourg is a beautiful country.
The ë in Lëtzebuerg is a schwa sound [ə], unique to Luxembourgish spelling.
Ech schwätzen eng aner Sprooch.
I speak another language.
The N-rule: 'schwätzen' keeps its -n before a vowel (eng). Compare: 'Ech schwätze Lëtzebuergesch' (-n drops before L).
D'Kanner spillen dobaussen.
The children play outside.
D' is the contracted article before K. The ei in spillen is pronounced [ɪ].
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises