Breton/Level 2/Lesson 7


Mutations edit

This lesson gives a full and rather complex view of mutations as exceptions are described together with the regular cases. For a more straightforward explanation please refer to the lesson in Level 1, Lesson 4

Definition edit

A mutation is the change of the first letter of a word according to different contexts.

Exemples :
  Mamm (mother) --> Ar vamm (the mother)
  Kozh (old)  --> Mamm gozh (Grand mother)

Table of mutations edit

Mutations in Breton obey to regular phonetics laws.

They are summarized in the table below (details to be found in the rest of this page) :

Mutations to soften ("dre vlotaat") edit



Initial K G Gw P B M T D
Mutation G C’h W B V V D Z


Soft mutation happens in the following cases :


  • after a, da, daou, div, dindan, diwar, dre, e (possessive), eme, en em, en ur, hanter, holl, na, ne, pa, pe, re, war...
  • after the article for the feminine singular words and the related adjective
  • after the article for the masculine plural person names (except when the plural is in -où) and the related adjective


Please note :

  • D will not mute after names
  • K becomes C'H for names after the article when there is no other mutation
  • P, T, K will not mute for adjectives when the related names ends by another letter than L, M, N, R or a vowel.



Soft Mutation will be noted (S!)
Following letters are affected:
B becomes V
D becomes Z
K becomes G
G becomes C'H
GW becomes W
P becomes B
M becomes V
T becomes D


Examples :

Breur (brother) gives Da vreur
Dant (tooth) gives Da zant
Glin (kneel) gives Da c'hlin


Mutations after the article edit

Here is a summary for mutations after the article :

Here is a presentation of the rules regarding the mutations after the aticle :

Go to the Quiz

Mutations of the adjective epithet edit

Here is a summary for mutations of the adjective epithet :

Here is a presentation of the rules regarding the mutations of the adjective epithet :

Go to the Quiz

Mutations to harden ("dre galetaat") edit

Initial B D G
Mutation P T K

Hard mutation happens in the following cases :

  • Possessive "ho" (yours)
  • After "az, "ez", "'z" (you - sg.)
  • After "da'z ..." (to yours ...)
  • After "ez" (in yours ...)



Hard Mutation will be noted (H!)
Following letters are affected:
B becomes P
D becomes T
G becomes K

Examples :

Breur (brother) gives Ho preur
Dant (tooth) gives Ho tant
Glin (kneel) gives Ho klin

Mixed mutations edit

Initial B D G GW M
Mutation V T C'H W V

Mixed mutation happens in the following cases :

  • Present participe
Formed by "o" + Verb.
  • After verb particle "e"
  • After "ma" (That)


Mixed Mutation will be noted (M!)
Following letters are affected:
B becomes V
D becomes T
G becomes C'H
GW becomes W
M becomes V


Examples :

Deskiñ (to learn) gives O teskiñ
Gortoz (to wait) gives O c'hortoz

Spirant mutations edit

Initial P T K
Mutation F Z C'H

Spirant mutation happens in the following cases :

  • After "ma" or "va" (mine)
  • After "he" (Hers)
  • After "o" (Theirs)
  • After numbers : tri, teir, pevar, peder, nav


Spirant Mutation will be noted (Sp!)
Following letters are affected:
P becomes F
T becomes Z
K becomes C'H

Examples :

Penn (head) gives Va fenn
Kador (chair) gives Va c'hador

Exceptions edit

Bloaz edit

Bloaz mutes into Vloaz after :

  • Pet ?
  • The cardinal numbers except after tri, pevar, pemp, nav

Exemple :

  • Pet vloaz eo bremañ ? Daouzek vloaz.
  • Pet vloaz eo bremañ ? Pemp bloaz.

Mintin edit

Mintin mutes into Vintin after :

  • Weekday names
  • Dec'h
  • Warc'hoazh

Exemple :

Dilun vintin, warc'hoazh vintin.


Exercises edit

Go to the Quiz