Pronunciation Diphthong (Compound vowels) with Examples¶

– There are 11 simple vowels and main 3 diphthongs in the Vietnamese language. The vowels are presented in the following chart:¶

diphthong

1. The vowels: (base on each column) have the similar (position of the tongue) and the different thing (the shape of your mouth)¶

*Please note this we skipped ă, â and q in this audio. We read from left to right, every letter twice.

The first column: the position of tongue is close to lips and opening up from i to e¶

(Find picture below for each letter)¶

I/y :¶

i 2

I and Y sounds similar – “ee” in English.¶

Example (in Vietnamese word): ly– glass¶

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Ê:¶

Ê sounds like “eh” in English¶

Example (in Vietnamese) : lê – pear¶

E:¶

E sounds similar with “air” but soften “r”¶

Example: mẹ – mother¶

The second column: the position of tongue is in between and opening up from ư to a¶

(*Find picture below for each letter**)*¶

Ư¶

Ư sounds similar with “er” but shorten sound¶

Example: từ từ – slow down¶

Ơ¶

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Ơ sounds similar with “er” but soften “r”¶

Example: chợ – market¶

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A¶

A sounds like “ah” in English¶

Example (in Vietnamese): Ba – three/ father (in Souther Vietnamese)¶

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• The third column: is the only rounded one, the position of tongue is back of throat and opening up from u to o¶

U¶

U sounds like “oo” in English¶

Example (in Vietnamese): chú – uncle¶

¶

Ô¶

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Ô sounds like “oh” in English¶

Example (in Vietnamese): Cô – Aunt/Miss (Formal pronoun)¶

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O¶

O sounds like “aw” in English¶

Example (in Vietnamese): có – (to) have¶

2. Diphthong (Compound vowels)¶

– Diphthongs iê-/yê-¶

Iê- and Yê- sounds similar “Ia” but if you are willing to combine “Yê-“ with Initial consonant, using middle vowel “u” is a must

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Tiền : Money¶

100000 vnd

bao nhiêu: how much¶

-> Bao nhiêu tiền?¶

(How much money?)

Example:¶

-> In sentence:¶

Một ly cà phê BAO NHIÊU TIỀN?¶

(A glass of coffee how much ?)

*NOTE: ______________ bao nhiêu tiền?

nhiều: alot/ many¶

chiều: afternoon¶

afternoon 1

triệu: millions¶

hiểu : understand¶

biết : know¶

tiếng Việt : Vietnamese language¶

Tiếng Anh : English¶

…………………¶

Others: nói :speak¶

Exp: Tôi biết nói Tiếng Anh¶

(I know how to speak English)

Đặt câu: Make sentence¶

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………¶

Yêu : (to) Love (or relationship/country/family)¶

heart 2 1

Exp:¶

Tôi yêu mẹ : I love mom¶

Thích:(to) like¶

Mê : be passionate about¶

Note: If you are willing to combine “yê-” with Initial consonant, using middle vowel “u” is a must¶

Exp:¶

Nguyễn : Vietnamese Surname¶

Khuyên: (to) advise¶

Iê- / Ia have both similar sounds “Ia” but Iê– must be combined followed by *Final Consonant** or Vowel. Meanwhile Ia can stand by itself or combine with one more Initial Consonant*

Diphthongs –ia/-ya¶

ia¶

Bia : Beer¶

beer

Mía : Sugar cane¶

sugar cane

Kia : There – nothern word¶

Thìa : Spoon – northern word¶

spoon 3

Nĩa : Fork¶

fork2

Dĩa : Plate¶

plate

Đặt câu: Make sentence¶

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..¶

ya2

Similar with “yê-“ , If you are willing to combine “-ya” with Initial consonant, using middle vowel “u” is a must

Khuya : Midnight¶

midnight

Other:¶

Sáng: Morning¶

morning 1

Trưa: Noon¶

noon 2

Chiều: Afternoon¶

afternoon 1

Tối: Night¶

night 1

– Diphthongs ươ-/ưa¶

*Ươ-/Ưa** have both similar sounds “Ưa” but Ươ– must be combined followed by *Final Consonant** or Vowel. Meanwhile Ưa can stand by itself or combine with one more Initial Consonant.*

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Mười : 10¶

Lười : lazy¶

(Làm biếng – more common for “lazy”)

Cười : smile¶

smile

Đường : Sugar or Street¶

street

Phường: ward¶

Hướng: direction¶

Sườn : ribs¶

-> Cơm sườn: Cooked rice with ribs¶

Lương : Salary¶

Thường : usually¶

Trường : school¶

school

Người : people¶

-> Tôi là người Việt¶

Y1Hj6gu¶

( I’m Vietnamese )¶

[ Là : Am/is/are, being used in front of Noun (Definition: name, identity,…)]¶

Nước: Water (main meaning)¶

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Example:¶

(1) nước hoa : Liquid flower -> Perfume¶

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nước mía : Sugar cane juice¶

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(2) nước Anh : England (Country)¶

Example:¶

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Tôi là Michael¶

Tôi là người Anh¶

Tôi biết nói tiếng Anh và tiếng Việt chút chút.¶

(I’m Michael. I’m British. I know how to speak English and Vietnamese a little bit)

NOTE:

Tôi là __________.

Tôi là người _________.

Tôi biết nói tiếng _________ và tiếng _________ chút chút.

Đặt câu: Make sentence¶

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..¶

¶

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Mưa (rain)¶

the rain

-> Trời mưa : It rains¶

Hứa (promise)¶

Trưa : afternoon¶

-> ăn trưa : have lunch¶

ăn sáng: have breakfast¶

ăn tối: have dinner¶

Bữa ăn : meal¶

-> Bữa sáng: The breakfast¶

Lừa : fool/ donkey¶

Lửa: fire¶

Dừa : coconut¶

coco

Sửa : fix¶

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-> Sửa xe: Fix motorbike¶

Sữa : milk¶

milk

Chưa: not yet¶

-> Em ăn trưa chưa?¶

( Have you had lunch yet? – pronoun as you for younger people)¶

Tôi ăn trưa rồi (I have had lunch already)¶

Tôi chưa ăn trưa (I have not had lunch yet)¶

¶

Rửa¶

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Exp:¶

(1)rửa tay : wash hands¶

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¶

(2)rửa xe : wash vehicle¶

¶

(3)rửa ly : wash glasses¶

Đặt câu: Make sentence¶

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..¶

¶

Diphthongs uô-/ua¶

*Uô-/Ua** have both similar sounds “Ua” but Uô– must be combined followed by Final Consonant or Vowel. Meanwhile Ua can stand by itself or combine with one more Initial Consonant.