Consonants
|
---|
IPA |
Examples |
English approximation
|
---|
ʔ
|
-
|
uh-oh
| ɓ
|
ba [ʔb]
|
bee
| c
|
chè [tɕ] (Saigon final [t] after e/i/y [1])
|
cheese (unaspirated)
| ɗ
|
đi [ʔd]
|
day
| f
|
phở
|
fight
| h
|
hàng
|
high
| j
|
tây; mai (may follow all vowels but e/i/y [1])
|
yellow
| k
|
cô, kem
|
sky
| l
|
là
|
low
| m
|
mai
|
my
| n
|
nam (Saigon final [ŋ] after a/o/u [2])
|
no
| ɲ
|
nh (Saigon final [n] after after e/i/y [1])
|
roughly like onion
| ŋ
|
nga
|
singer
| p
|
đáp
|
sport
| s
|
xa
|
so
| ʂ
|
s (Hanoi [s])
|
show
| t
|
tây (Saigon final [k] after o/u [2])
|
stop
| tʰ
|
thầy
|
top
| ʈʂ
|
tra [ʈ] (Hanoi [c])
|
choose (unaspirated)
| v
|
v (Saigon [j])
|
van
| w
|
câu (Hanoi initial [ʔw]) (may follow all vowels but a/o/u [2])
|
we
| x
|
khô (Saigon [kʰ])
|
loch (Scottish English)
| ɣ
|
ga (before a/o/u [2]), gh (before e/i/y [1])
|
roughly like go
| z
|
da; già (Saigon [j])
|
zero
| ʐ
|
ra (Hanoi [z])[3] |
pleasure
|
|
Monophthongs
|
---|
IPA
|
Examples |
English approximation
|
---|
a
|
ăn [ɐ]
|
cut
| aː
|
ba [ɐː][4] |
cat
| e
|
về
|
day
| ɛ
|
xe
|
set
| ə
|
ân [ɜ]
|
person
| əː
|
bơ [ɤː]
|
sir (British English)
| i
|
khi, quy
|
see
| ɨ
|
tư [ɯ]
|
roughly like good
| o
|
cô
|
roughly like law (British English)
| ɔ
|
có
|
law
| u
|
ru
|
too
|
Diphthongs
|
---|
IPA
|
Examples |
English approximation
|
---|
iə
|
viên, bia
|
idea
| ɨə
|
xương, chưa [ɯə]
|
[ɨ] followed by [ə]
| uə
|
uống, mua
|
sure (British English)
| ʲ
|
(see /j/ above)
|
| ʷ
|
(see /w/ above)
|
|
Tones
|
---|
IPA
|
Examples
|
---|
a ə
|
a (Hanoi [˧], Saigon [˧])
| â ə̂
|
à (Hanoi [˧˩], Saigon [˧˩])
| ǎ ə̌
|
á (Hanoi [˧˥], Saigon [˧˥])
| a᷉ ə᷉ [5] |
ả (Hanoi [˧˩˧], Saigon [˧˩˧])
| ǎˀ ə̌ˀ
|
ã (Hanoi [˧ˀ˥], Saigon [˧˩˧])
| âˀ ə̂ˀ
|
ạ (Hanoi [˧ˀ˩], Saigon [˧˩˧ˀ])
| ə́k[6] |
ấc (Hanoi [˥], Saigon [˥])
| ə̀k[6] |
ậc (Hanoi [˨], Saigon [˨])
|
|