Welsh Orthography

Welsh orthography uses 29 letters. The letters k, q, v, x and z are sometimes used for loanwords, but they are not so common. They do not form part of the Welsh alphabet.

A few of the Welsh letters have different values from those of English. The letter ch forms part of the alphabet and represents the velar fricative. The letter dd represents the voiced interdental fricative, f represents the voiced labiodental fricative and ff represents the voiceless labiodental fricative.

The letter ll is used for the voiceless alveolar lateral fricative, which does not exist in English. This sound is rare in European languages but is found in African and Asian langauges, and it is common in many indigenous languages of the Americas. The letter rh is for the voiceless alveolar trill.

In Welsh the letter w can be a vowel or a consonant. The vowel is a high back rounded vowel and the consonant is the labiovelar glide. The letter y always represents a high front vowel or in certain cases a schwa.

In contrast to English, the letters k, q, v, x and z are rare in Welsh. The letter ll is used for the voiceless lateral fricative, a rare sound in European languages. Unlike in English, the letter f represents a voiced fricative.