Written Latvian is based on the Latin alphabet and uses 33 letters: Aa, Āā, Bb, Cc, Čč, Dd, Ee, Ēē, Ff, Gg, Ģģ, Hh, Ii, Īī, Jj, Kk, Ķķ, Ll, Ļļ, Mm, Nn, Ņņ, Oo, Pp, Rr, Ss, Šš, Tt, Uu, Ūū, Vv, Zz, Žž.
Vowels
- a
- as in 'u' in "cup"
- ā
- as in 'a' in "another" long sound
- e
- as in 'e' in "pet" and 'a' in "fat"
- ē
- as in 'ai' in "fair" and 'a' in "spar" but longer
- i
- as in 'i' in "pin"
- ī
- as in 'ee' in "speed" long sound
- o
- as in 'o' in "pot" and 'oa' in "oats"
- u
- as in 'u' in "pull"
- ū
- as in 'oo' in "pool" long sound
