Lesson 1 The Alphabet & Pronunciation (The B, C, D, G, Q rules)
The Alphabet & The “Key” Consonants
Lesson 1 The Alphabet & Pronunciation The Fijian alphabet uses the same Latin letters as English, but 5 specific consonants have unique sounds. If you master these, you will sound like a local.
1. The Vowels (Vosa vaka-vaueli)
These are always short and sharp, similar to Spanish or Italian:
- A – “ah” (as in father)
- E – “eh” (as in get)
- I – “ee” (as in machine)
- O – “oh” (as in go)
- U – “oo” (as in flute)
2. The “Secret” Consonants
This is where 90% of learners make mistakes. Pay close attention to these five:
| Letter | Sound | Example Word | Pronounced As… |
| B | “mb” | Bula | M-bula |
| C | “th” | Moce (Goodbye) | Mo-thay |
| D | “nd” | Drau (Leaf) | N-drau |
| G | “ng” | Gone (Child) | Ng-o-nay (as in singer) |
| Q | “ng-g” | Qari (Crab) | Ng-gari (as in finger) |
Teacher’s Note: Notice the difference between G and Q. G is soft like “singer,” while Q has that hard “g” sound tucked inside it like “finger.”
Daily Important Conversation: The Arrival
When you enter a house or meet someone on a path, the greeting is more than just a word; it’s a connection.
- Person A: Bula vinaka! (A warm, respectful hello)
- Person B: Bula! Vacava tiko? (Hello! How are you doing?)
- Person A: Bulabula vinaka tiko, vinaka. (I’m doing very well, thank you.)
Vocabulary List (Lesson 1) for Lesson 1 The Alphabet & Pronunciation
- Kere kere: Please
- Vinaka: Thank you / Good
- Vinaka vaka levu: Thank you very much
- Yalovinaka: Please (more formal/polite)
- Io: Yes
- Sega: No
Small Test 1: The Pronunciation Challenge
Try to write out how you would say these words phonetically (based on the rules above). I will check your answers in the next step!
- Nadi (The city where the airport is)
- Cibi (The famous Fijian rugby dance)
- Sigatoka (A beautiful town in Fiji)
- Beqa (An island famous for fire-walkers)