The vibrations of pyramidal AB3type molecules with C3vsymmetry are analyzed in terms of Cartesian co-ordinates, and analytical expressions for the four normal mode frequencies are derived as functions of two stretching and two bending force constants. Optimized values of these force constants are obtained for a number of tri-hydride and tri-halide molecules by substitution of available spectroscopic and geometric data. The physical validity of the model is confirmed by comparing the calculated and observed frequencies of several isotopic species.