Speaking/understanding Thai
Vowels and Dipthongs (2)
| Thai has five tones | |||||
| 1. Mid. No marks normal tone | |||||
| 2. Low ̀ lower than normal tone | |||||
| 3. Falling ̂ goes up a little then drops | |||||
| 4. High ́ above normal/mid tone | |||||
| 5. Rising ̆ sing the tone upwards | |||||
| VOWELS | |||||
| a | as in ha | ||||
| aa | as in ah | ||||
| i | as in if | ||||
| ii | as in see | ||||
| u | as in foot or put | ||||
| uu | as in mood | ||||
| oh | as in go | ||||
| o | as in from | ||||
| or | as in aw | ||||
| eu | as in deux | ||||
| ae | as in cat but short in sound | ||||
| e | as in met | ||||
| eh | as in air but with no ‘r’ sound | ||||
| oe | as in ‘bird’ no ‘r’ sound | ||||
| DIPTHONGS | |||||
| Combinations of two or more vowels. The | |||||
| sounds are as indicated above, but run together | |||||
| ia | mia | (mee-ah) | wife | ||
| iu | hiu | (hew) | hungry | ||
| eua | reua | (rer-ah) | boat | ||
| ua | wua | (woo-ah) | cow | ||
| ai | yai | (as in hi) | big | ||
| ao | mau | (mow) | drunk | ||
| ui | khui | (kooy) | to chat | ||
| oi | noi | (noy) | a little | ||
| oei | khoei | (ker-ay) | ever | ||
| euai | neaui | (ner-ay) | tired | ||
| io | dio | (dee-oh) | alone | ||
| eho | leho | (lay-oh) | bad | ||
| aeo | maeo | (mair-oh) | cat | ||
| iau | niau | (nee-ow) | sticky | ||