Guide to Pronunciation (2 - Vowels)

Vowels

Most Thai vowels have two versions, short and long. Short vowels are clipped and cut off at the end. Long ones are drawn out. We show short vowels with a single letter and long vowels with double letters.

              a          like a in Alaska                        fan - teeth

              aa        like a in father                        maa - come
                                                                       ↓
              i           like i in tip                             sip - ten
                                                                     
              ii          like ee in see                          sii - four

              u          like oo in boot                        khun - you
                                                                      
              uu        like u in ruler                          suun - zero
                                                                        
              ü     like u in ruler but with a smile     nüng - one

                üü    like ü  but longer        müü - hand 
                                    
       e         like e in pet                       set - finish    

       ee       like a in pale                      phleeng - song
                                                              
             ä     like a in cat                       lä - and

             ää       like a in sad                      dääng - red

                                                              
             ö        like er in teacher               lö - dirty

                       without the r sound


             öö      like ö but longer                djöö - meet




             o        like o in note                    djon - poor



            oo       like o in go                       djoon - robber


            
             ว        like au in caught                g - island

   
            วว        like o in go                        nววn - sleep


            ia        bia - beer


            ua       tua  - body


             üa         rüa  - boat


             au       mau - drunk 

           
             ai        pai - go


             am       tham - do










             

















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