Lesson 1

Alap (ܐ), Beth (ܒ), Gamal (ܓ), Dalath (ܕ), Zqapa (◌ܵ), Pthaha (◌ܲ)

ܐ
Alap
The first letter of the alap-beth, alap is a silent letter that is either used to end words where the last letter is a vowel, such as the word "baga ܒܵܓܵܐ" (marble), or as a "vowel carrier" such as in the word "aboona ܐܲܒܘܼܢܵܐ" (priest). Alap does not continue the writing line to the following letter.
ܒ
Beth (b)
The second letter of the alap-beth, beth is pronounced identically to the English "B," such as in the word "boat." Beth continues to writing line to the following letter.
ܓ
Gamal (g)
The third letter of alap-beth, gamal is pronounced identically to the English "G," such as in the word "gate." Gamal continues the writing line to the following letter.
ܕ
Dalath (d)
The fourth letter of alap-beth, dalath is pronounced identically to the English "D," such as in the word "dig." Dalath does not continue the writing line to the following letter.
◌ܵ
Zqapa (a)
The first vowel of alap-beth, zqapa is pronounced identically to the English "A," as it is pronounced in the word "all."
◌ܲ
Pthaẖa (𝚊̲)
The second vowel of alap-beth, pthaha is pronounced identically to the English "A," as it is pronounced in the word "air."

Practice

A. Read the following aloud to practice the sounds of consonants and vowels, check the English transliteration at the bottom of the page for the answers.

ܐ. ܐܵ، ܐܵ، ܐܵ، ܐܲ، ܐܲ، ܐܲ

ܒ. ܒ، ܒ، ܒ، ܒܵ، ܒܵ، ܒܵ، ܒܲ، ܒܲ، ܒܲ

ܓ. ܓ، ܓ، ܓ، ܓܵ، ܓܵ، ܓܵ، ܓܲ، ܓܲ، ܓܲ

ܕ. ܕ، ܕ، ܕ، ܕܵ، ܕܵ، ܕܵ، ܕܲ، ܕܲ، ܕܲ

B. Read the following aloud to practice reading real words in Chaldean, check the English transliteration at the bottom of
the page for the answers.

ܐ. ܒܵ ܒܵܐ: ܒܵܒܵܐ

ܒ. ܒܵ ܓܵܐ: ܒܵܓܵܐ

ܓ. ܒܲ ܓܲܕ: ܒܲܓܲܕ

ܕ. ܐܵ ܒ: ܐܵܒ

ܗ. ܓܵ ܕܵܐ: ܓܵܕܵܐ

Answers

A. 

  1. a, a, a, a, a, a
  2. b, b, b, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba
  3. g, g, g, ga, ga, ga, ga, ga, ga
  4. d, d, d, da, da, da, da, da, da

B. 

  1. ba ba: baba (father)
  2. ba ga: baga (marble)
  3. ba gad: bagad (bucket)
  4. a b: ab (august)
  5. ga da: gada (luck)