Pronunciation of the Nasals M [m] and N [n]

M

M sounds like the M in mat.

Northern Syllables IPA
ᒫᒫᐱᓱᓐ Click here to hear this word maamaapisun maa – maapi – sun [ma – ˈmap – sʊn]
ᒨᔅ Click here to hear this word muus muus muːs]
Southern Syllables IPA
ᒦᑐᔅ Click here to hear this word miitus mii – tus  [ ˈmiː – tʊ̥s ]
ᒪᒣᓃᐌᐤ Click here to hear this word mameniiweu ma – me – nii – weu  [ ma – mɛ – ˈnɪː – wɛw ]

M can also sound long (like [mm] or [məm])

Northern Syllables IPA
ᒥᒫᓃᐙᐤ Click here to hear this word mimaaniiwaau mimaa – nii – waau [mmaː-ˈniː-waʷ]
Southern Syllables IPA
ᐅᓯᒥᒫᐤ Click here to hear this word usimimaau u – simimaau

Similarly, the combination TIM in East Cree can sound similar to the sounds in the English phrase light me.

Northern Syllables IPA
ᐐᐐᑎᒫ Click here to hear this word wiiwiitimaa wii – wiiti – maa [wiː-ˈwit-maʰ]

 

N

N sounds like the N in no.

Northern Syllables IPA
ᓈᐤ Click here to hear this word naau naau naːw]
ᓃᔥᑎᓂᐤ Click here to hear this word niishtiniu niishti – niu [niːʃt – noː]
Southern Syllables IPA
ᓇᒣᐲ Click here to hear this word namepii na – me – pii  [ nə – mɛ – ˈpiʔ ]
ᓃᑳᓐ Click here to hear this word niikaan nii – kaan  [ niː – ˈkan ]

N can also sound longer, similar to how ‘n’ is pronounced in the phrase ham ‘n’ eggs. At the beginning of a word, for example, the spelling NIT often sounds similar to the ND [n̩d] sounds in the phrase mom ‘n’ dad. It can also sound like IND [ɨnd] in indeed.

Northern Syllables IPA
ᓂᑐᒋᑭᓐ Click here to hear this word nituchikin ni – tu – chi – kin [ – ˈtʊ – tʃɪ – kɪn]
ᓂᑐᒋᑭᓐ Click here to hear this word nituchikin ni – tu – chi – kin [ɨn – ˈtʊ – tʃɪ – kɪn]
Southern Syllables IPA
ᓂᒋᒄ Click here to hear this word nichikw ni – chikw  [ – ˈtʃʊkʷ ]
ᓂᒋᔅᑖᐹᐅᒉᓰᒻ Click here to hear this word nichistaapaauchesiim ni – chistaa – paau – che – siim

Similarly, the spelling TIN in East Cree often sounds similar to the DEN [dn̩] sounds in the English words hidden and sudden.

Northern Syllables IPA
ᐅᐲᐙᐅᔥᑐ Click here to hear this word upiiwaaushtutin u – pii – waaush – tu – tin [ʊ – pi – ɔːʃ – ˈtʊ – tn̩]
ᓃᔥᑎᓂᐤ Click here to hear this word niishtiniu niishtiniu [niːʃt – noː]
Southern Syllables IPA
ᒫᑎᓂᐌᒌᔑᑳᐤ Click here to hear this word maatiniwechiishikaau maa – tini – we – chii – shi – kaau  [ ma – tn̘ – wɛː – ˈtiː – ʃə – kaw ]

Finally, the spellings PUM and PIM have a unique pronunciation:

Northern Syllables IPA
ᔖᐳᒥᓐ Click here to hear this word shaapumin shaapu – min [ˈʃaːp – mɪn]
ᐋ ᐙᐱᒫᒡ Click here to hear this word aa waapimaach aa waapimaach [ ˈa wɑpm̩ – atʃ ]
Southern Syllables IPA
ᐱᐦᒋᐱᒣᐅᑖᐹᓐ Click here to hear this word pihchipimeutaapaan pih – chipimeu – taa – paan  [ piːʰ – tʃɪpm̘ – mɛw – ta – pan ]
ᐃᔥᐱᒥᐦᒡ Click here to hear this word ishpimihch ishpimihch  [ iʃ – ˈpm̘ɪhtʃ ]