has 5 vowels: '''a''', '''e''', '''i''', '''o''', '''u'''.
They are pronounced in the German or Spanish fashion, i.e.:
* '''a''' = [a]
* '''e''' = [e]
Each of these vowels has a long version, that is denoted by an acute accent mark:
'''á''', '''é''', '''í''', '''ó''', '''ú'''
One of the most fundamental rules of Quenya phonology is:
A long vowel can never appear before a consonant cluster.''</big>
but note: '''ry''', '''ny''', '''ly''', '''ty''' do not count as consonant clusters when applying this rule; see below).
has 7 diphthongs: '''ai''', '''oi''', '''ui''', '''au''', '''eu''', '''iu''', '''ei'''.
The last three are quite rare.
They are pronounced as follows:
* '''ai''' = [a:j]
* '''oi''' = [o:j]
Any other group of two or more sequential vowels cannot form a diphthong. These vowels consequently always belong to separate syllables:
::'''oa''' "away" → '''o-a'''
::'''tië''' "path" → '''ti-e'''
In Quenya spelling in certain situations a diaeresis is used, but it makes <u>no difference</u> to pronunciation at all. It is simply used to denote a pronunciation that is not like the English pronunciation.
The use of the diaeresis is thus not obligatory, so that is why some authors never use it.
The diaeresis can be found on following vowels:
the combinations '''ëa''', '''ëo'''
:Note: the diaeresis moves to the next vowel if the '''e''' is capitalized: '''Eärendil'''
the combination '''oë''' in the word '''Loëndë''' " mid year's day"
These are: t, p, c, s, f, h, n, m, r, v, y, w, l
The pronunciation of most of these is easy as they correspond to the standard pronunciation of these consonants. But let's have a look at them one by one:
* t = [t]
* p = [p]
* c = [k]:
This pronunciation doesn't depend on the following vowel ( e.g., as in English or French). So even though some actors say [si:rdan] for '''Círdan''', it should always be pronounced [ki:rdan].
* s = [s]
* f = [f]
* h = [h]:
but the pronunciation can be different when it is part of a consonant group ( see below)
* n = [n]
* m = [m]
* r = [r]:
it should always be a 'trilled'-r
* v = [v]
* y = [j]:
consequently this letter always denotes a consonant
* l = [l]
The precursor languages of Quenya contained the consonants '''ñ''' and '''th'''. In modern Quenya they are no longer pronounced with a separate sound but coincide with [n] and [s]. See also [[History_of_Elven_writing_systems|Quenya Tengwar]].