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The Estonian Alphabet

The Estonian alphabet consists of 27 letters and includes a few unique characters that distinguish it from other alphabets.

Here is a brief guide to pronouncing some of the unique letters in the Estonian alphabet:

• Š (pronounced like 'sh' in "shoe")
• Ž (pronounced like 'zh' in "measure")
• Õ (a sound not found in English; similar to a short, rounded 'o')
• Ä (pronounced like 'a' in "cat")
• Ö (pronounced like 'e' in "her" but with rounded lips)
• Ü (pronounced like 'u' in French "lune" or German "über")

Missing Letters

Certain letters found in the English alphabet, such as C, Q, W, X, and Y, are not part of the traditional Estonian alphabet. These letters may appear in loanwords or foreign names but are not used in native Estonian words.