Consonants |
IPA | Thai | Lao | English equivalent |
b |
บ | ບ | abash |
d |
ฎ,ด | ດ | ado |
f |
ฝ,ฟ | ຝ,ຟ | food |
h |
ห,ฮ | ຫ,ຮ | head |
j |
ญ,ย,อย,หย | ຢ | yak |
k |
ก | ກ | scan |
kʰ |
ข,ฃ,ค,ฅ,ฆ | ຂ,ຄ | can |
l |
ล,ฬ,หล | ລ,ຫຼ | leaf |
m |
ม,หม | ມ,ໝ | much |
n |
ณ,น,หน | ນ,ໜ | not |
ŋ |
ง,หง | ງ,ຫງ | bang |
ɲ |
— | ຍ,ຫຍ | canyon (Lao only) |
p |
ป | ປ | span |
pʰ |
ผ,พ,ภ | ຜ,ພ | pan |
r |
ร,หร | ຣ,ຫຼ ,ຫຣ | trilled r |
s |
ซ,ศ,ษ,ส | ສ,ຊ | sue |
t |
ฏ,ต | ຕ | stable |
tʰ |
ฐ,ฑ,ฒ,ถ,ท,ธ | ຖ,ທ | table |
tɕ |
จ | ຈ | catch |
tɕʰ |
ฉ, ช, ฌ | — | choose |
w |
ว,หว | ວ,ຫວ | way, quick |
ʔ |
อ, ะ | ອ | the catch in uh-oh |
|
Tone |
IPA | Description |
aː = āː |
mid [aː˧] |
àː |
low [aː˨˩] |
âː |
falling [aː˥˩] (Thai), high falling [aː˥˧] (Lao) |
a̭ː |
low falling [aː˧˩] (Lao only) |
áː |
high [aː˦˥] |
ǎː |
mid rising [aː˨˦] |
|
Vowels |
IPA | Thai[1] | Lao | English equivalent |
Short vowels |
a |
◌ะ, ◌ั◌ | ◌ະ, ◌ັ◌ | far |
e |
เ◌ะ, เ◌็◌ | ເ◌ະ, ເ◌ັ◌ | let |
ɛ |
แ◌ะ, แ◌็◌ | ແ◌ະ, ແ◌ັ◌ | mat |
i |
◌ิ, ◌ิ◌ | ◌ິ | feet |
o |
โ◌ะ, ◌◌ | ໂ◌ະ, ◌ົ◌ | boat |
ɔ |
เ◌าะ, ◌็อ◌ | ◌ໍ | lot |
u |
◌ุ, ◌ุ◌ | ◌ຸ | book |
ɯ |
◌ึ, ◌ึ◌ | ◌ຶ | luck |
ɤ |
เ◌อะ | ເ◌ິະ, ເ◌ິ◌ | hut |
Long vowels |
aː |
◌า, ◌า◌ | ◌າ | bra |
eː |
เ◌, เ◌◌ | ເ◌ | plain |
ɛː |
แ◌, แ◌◌ | ແ◌ | pan |
iː |
◌ี, ◌ี◌ | ◌ີ | green |
oː |
โ◌, โ◌◌ | ໂ◌ | home |
ɔː |
◌อ, ◌อ◌ | ◌ໍ, ◌ອ | lawn |
uː |
◌ู, ◌ู, | ◌ູ | moon |
ɯː |
◌ือ, ◌ื◌ | ◌ື | lure |
ɤː |
เ◌อ, เ◌ิ◌ | ເ◌ີ | fur |
Diphthongs[2][3] |
ia, iə |
เ◌ียะ | ເ◌ັຽະ | |
iːa, iːə |
เ◌ีย, เ◌ีย◌ | ເ◌ັຽ | beer |
ua, uə |
◌ัวะ | ◌ົວະ | |
uːa, uːə |
◌ัว, ◌ว◌ | ◌ົວ | poor |
ɯa, ɯə |
เ◌ือะ | ເ◌ຶອະ | |
ɯːa, ɯːə |
เ◌ือ, เ◌ือ◌ | ເ◌ຶອ | pure |
|