Thai Writing, Reading and Pronunciation Guidebook...***** Some words with short vowel may pronounce...

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Thai Writing, Reading and

Pronunciation Guidebook


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Contents Introduction ......................................................................................... 1

1. Thai Alphabet/àk-soon-thai/ .......................................................... 2

2. Thai Vowel/sa-rà/ ........................................................................... 4

3. Tones/wan-na-yúk/วรรณยกต ............................................................ 5

3.1 Tones Markers and Classes of Alphabet ...................................... 7

3.2 Leading Consonant ...................................................................... 8

3.3 Effect of Class, Vowel Type and Final Consonant on Tone .......... 9

3.4 Overall Rules of Tones [W&R] ................................................... 12

4. Double Consonant/kham khûap klàm/ค ำควบกล ำ ........................... 14

5. Easy-Difficult Word /kham-yâak kham-ngâai/ค ำยำก-ค ำงำย ........... 16

1


Introduction

Originally, the purpose of this guidebook is to introduce Thai

pronunciation for beginner, because some Thai consonant and vowel

may not exist in other language. Furthermore, Thai is one of tone

language, this means tone pronunciation affect to the word’s

meaning. It is necessary for beginners to understand these natures of

Thai.

In this guidebook, the list of Thai alphabet and vowel are

included. You can listen to its pronunciation though the given

YouTube link. Examples of word spelling and tone pronunciation with

its YouTube link are included.

Basic rules to start Thai writing and reading practice are also

included here. We will show [S&L] for article focus on speaking and

listening only, and [W&R] for article that useful for writing and

reading which is useful for long run learners.

Rules in this guidebook can be applied for most of Thai writing

and reading but, there are some exceptions of rules that have not

been explained in this guidebook. Thai learner should gain more Thai

writing and reading skill through experience.

2


1. Thai Alphabet/àk-soon-thai/ อกษรไทย [S&L],[W&R]

Table 1 Thai Alphabet https://youtu.be/KzKBpUaFd-A

Symbol Name

Meaning Consonant

Class Thai Pronunciation Initial Final

ก ก ไก koo kài chicken k k mid

ข ข ไข Khoo khài egg kh k high

ฃ ฃ ขวด khoo khùat bottle

(obsoleted) kh - high

ค ค ควำย khoo khwaay buffalo kh k low

ฅ ฅ คน khoo khon human

(obsoleted) kh - low

ฆ ฆ ระฆง khoo rá -khang bell kh k low

ง ง ง ngoo nguu snake ng ng low

จ จ จำน joo jaan dish j t mid

ฉ ฉ ฉง choo chìng cymbals ch - high

ช ช ชำง choo cháang elephant ch t low

ซ ซ โซ soo sôo chain s t low

ฌ ฌ เฌอ choo chooe a kind of tree ch - low

ญ ญ หญง yoo yǐng woman y n low

ฎ ฎ ชฎำ doo cha-daa headdress d t mid

ฏ ฏ ปฏก too pa-tàk goad, javelin t t mid

ฐ ฐ ฐำน thoo thaan pedestal th t high

ฑ ฑ มณโฑ thoo mon-

thoo

Montho (a character

from Ramayana)

th, d t low

ฒ ฒ ผ เฒำ thoo phûu-thâo

elder th t low

ณ ณ เณร noo neen samanera n n low

ด ด เดก doo dèk child d t mid

ต ต เตำ too tào turtle t t mid

ถ ถ ถง thoo thung bag th t high

3


Symbol Name

Meaning Consonant


ท ท ทหำร thoo tha-haan soldier th t low

ธ ธ ธง thoo thong flag th t low

น น หน noo nuu rat n n low

บ บ ใบไม boo bai-máai leaf b p mid

ป ป ปลำ poo plaa fish p p mid

ผ ผ ผง phoo phûeng bee ph - high

ฝ ฝ ฝำ foo faa lid f - high

พ พ พำน phoo phaan phan ph p low

ฟ ฟ ฟน foo fan teeth f p low

ภ ภ ส ำเภำ phoo sam-phao

saliboat ph p low

ม ม มำ moo máa horse m m low

ย ย ยกษ yoo yák giant y y or - low

ร ร เรอ roo ruuea boat r n low

ล ล ลง loo ling monkey l n low

ว ว แหวน woo waaen ring w w low

ศ ศ ศำลำ soo saa-laa pavilion, sala s t high

ษ ษ ฤๅษ soo ruue-sǐi hermit s t high

ส ส เสอ soo suuea tiger s t high

ห ห หบ hoo hǐip chest, box h - high

ฬ ฬ จฬำ loo jù-laa kite l n low

อ อ อำง oo àang basin o - mid

ฮ ฮ นกฮก hoo nók-hûuk olw h - low

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sala_(architecture)

4


2. Thai Vowel/sa-rà/ สระ [S&L], [W&R]

Table 2 Thai Vowel https://youtu.be/CMGcME5DQjE

Short Vowel Long Vowel

Symbol Phonetic Sound

Symbol Phonetic Sound

Original * Original *

-ะ a a -ำ - a: aa

- i i - i: ii

- ɯ ue อ - ɯ: uue

- u u - u: uu

เ-ะ เ - e e เ- - e: ee

แ-ะ แ - ɛ ae แ- - ɛ: aae

เ-ำะ - ɔ o -อ - ɔ: oo

โ-ะ ** o ou โ- - o: oou

เ-อะ - ɤʔ oe เ-อ เ - ɤ: ooe

เยะ - iaʔ ia เย - Ia iia

เอะ - ɯaʔ uea เอ - ɯa uuea

วะ - uaʔ ua ว -ว- ua uua

ำ - am am

ใ- - ai ai

ไ- - ai ai

เ-ำ - ao ao

ฤ - rɯ rue ฤๅ - rɯ: ruue

ฦ - lɯ ฦๅ - lɯ: luue

-รร - - an

- - aw

Note: [W&R]

* Some vowel changes its form when used with final consonant.

** When “โ-ะ” used with final consonant, the word is written by

initial consonant followed by final consonant instead (Ex “คน”).

5


*** “ไ” and “ใ” have no difference in term of pronunciation. There is

no specific rule to select between “ไ” and “ใ”. It’s all about

remembering.

**** ฤ, ฤๅ, ฦ, ฦๅ are generally used in Thai poetry.

***** Some words with short vowel may pronounce like long vowel,

according to Thai’s favor. For example “น ำ” (water) is

pronounced náam instead of nám, “ไม” (wood) is pronounced

máai instead of mái.

The below table demonstrates the way that Thai student practice

word spelling.

Table 2.1 Example of Word Spelling [W&R]

https://youtu.be/zYw4493xHaI

Thai Element Spelling Pronunciation English

มนำคม ม + = ม moo-ii-mee

mee-naa-khom March น + ำ = นำ noo-aa-naa

ค + โ-ะ + ม = คม khoo-o-moo-khom

เสอดำว ส + เอ = เสอ soo-uuea-suuea

suuea-daaw leopard ด + ำ + ว = ดำว doo-aa-woo-daaw

แตงโม ต + แ- + ง = แตง too-aae-ngoo-taaeng

taaeng-moou watermelon ม + โ = โม moo-oou-moou

3. Tones/wan-na-yúk/วรรณยกต [S&L], [W&R]

Thai is a tone language. Words pronounced with different tones have

different meaning. There are 5 tones in Thai language including

middle, low, falling, high and rising.

6


The graph below demonstrates how tones work.

Fig.1 Graph of Thai Tones

https://youtu.be/7ixm_Ho5yaA

Phonetic Tone Markers [S&L]

There are five tone markers in phonetic as shown in table below.

These tone markers are necessary for Thai speaking practice. You

should remember how to pronounce these tones in order to read Thai

phonetic and pronounce correctly

Table 3-a Phonetic Tone Markers

Tone Mid Low Falling High Rising

Phonetic Symbol -

Thai Tone Markers [W&R]

There are five tone markers for Thai writing. Simply, each marker

demonstrates tone just like its name but there is a little bit more

detail about rules of tones which will be explained in the later section.

7


Table 3-b Thai Tone Markers

Tone (General) Mid Low Falling High Rising

Thai Symbol -

Rules of Tones [W&R]

In Thai writing and reading, there are 5 component affecting tone of

word.

1. Tone marker

2. Class of alphabet

3. Leading consonant

4. Type of vowel (short/long)

5. Final consonant

3.1 Tones Markers and Classes of Alphabet [W&R]

Simply, if tone marker mixed with specific class of alphabet, tone

pronunciation will become as below table.

Table 3.1 Effect of Class and Tone Marker on Tone

Marker Class

-

Mid Low Falling High Rising

Mid Class Mid Low Falling High Rising

Low Class Mid Falling High - -

High Class High Low Falling - -

Example 3.1 https://youtu.be/7ixm_Ho5yaA

Middle Class

ปำ ปำ ปำ ป ำ ป ำ paa pàa pâa páa paa

8


ต ต ต ต ต tii tìi tîi tíi tǐi

Low Class

คำ คำ คำ khaa khâa kháa

ไร ไร ไร rai râi rái

High

ขำ ขำ ขำ khaa khàa khâa

ห ห ห huu hùu hûu

3.2 Leading Consonant [W&R]

Simply, if a leading consonant (except “ห”, “อ”) is put in front of an

initial consonant, the leading consonant will be pronounced with “a”

vowel with middle tone. If class of leading consonant is higher, the

initial consonant will be treated like the same class as the leading

consonant.

Example 3.2-a https://youtu.be/7ixm_Ho5yaA

อรอย a-ròoy delicious

ขนม ka-nooum snack

สระ sa-rà vowel

ทหำร ta-haan solider

คณต ka-níd math

9


Some “low class” initial consonant with “ห”, “อ” leading consonant will

be treated like “high class”.

Example 3.2-b https://youtu.be/7ixm_Ho5yaA

หน nuu rat

หญำ yâa grass

ไหล lai to flow

อยำก yàak want

อยำ yàa don’t (ordering)

3.3 Effect of Class, Vowel Type and Final Consonant on Tone [W&R]

In addition of the previous section, type of vowel (short/long) and

type of final consonant (live/dead) also affect to tone. Without tone

marker, tone of word will follow the rule in table 3.3-a.

Table 3.3-a Effect of Class, Vowel Type and Final Consonant on Tone

Tone Pronunciation

Vowel Short Long

Final Consonant - Live Dead - Live Dead

Cla

ss Mid Class Low Mid Low Mid Mid Low

Low Class High Mid High Mid Mid Falling High Class Low Rising Low Rising Rising Low

Final Consonant [W&R]

There are two type of final consonant, “live” and “dead”.

“Live” means final consonant that your mouth closes not so tight.

“Dead” means final consonant that your mouth closes tightly.

10


Table 3.3-b List of Final consonant

Type Final Alphabet

Dead

k ก, ข, ค, ฆ

p บ, ป, พ, ฟ, ภ

t ช, ซ, จ, ฎ, ฏ, ฐ, ฑ, ฒ, ด, ต, ถ, ท, ธ, ศ, ษ, ส

Live

m ม

n ญ, ณ, น, ร, ล, ฬ

ng ง

w ว

y ย

Example 3.3 https://youtu.be/7ixm_Ho5yaA

Middle Class

Short Vowel

จะ jà will

กน kin to eat

เปด pèd duck

Long Vowel

ตำ taa grandfather (mother side),eye

ปน piin to climb

ปก pìik wing

Low Class

Short Vowel

11


ย yú to incite, to encourage

คณ khun you

รก rák to love

Long Vowel

ยำ yaa medicine

ยำย yaay grandmother (mother side)

ยำก yâak difiicult

High Class

Short Vowel

ผ pù to decay

หน han to turn

ขด khùd to dig

Long Vowel

ขำ khaa leg

ขำย khaay to sell

โสด sòoud be single

12


3.4 Overall Rules of Tones [W&R]

Expanding rules of tones in section 3.3 by adding tone markers, overall

rules of tones is shown in table 3.4 below.

Table 3.4 Overall Rules of Tones

Tone Pronunciation

Tone Marker

Vowel Short Long

Final Sound - Live Dead - Live Dead

- Mid Class Low Mid Low Mid Mid Low

Low Class High Mid High Mid Mid Falling

High Class Low Rising Low Rising Rising Low

Mid Class Low Low Low

Low Class Low Falling Falling Falling

High Class Low Low Low

Mid Class Falling Falling Falling Falling Falling

Low Class High High High

High Class Falling Falling Falling

Mid Class High High High High High High

Low Class

High Class

Mid Class Rising Rising Rising

Low Class

High Class

Notice! There are 3 groups of word that its tone follows the rule of

section 3.1.

1. Word with short vowel and live final consonant.

2. Word with long vowel without final consonant.

3. Word with long vowel and live final consonant.

Note: Some the word which is originally English word, it may not

follow the rules in table 3.4

Some word with dead final consonant mat pronounced by high tone

Example 3.4-a https://youtu.be/7ixm_Ho5yaA

อพำรทเมนท a-pháad-mén apartment

13


กำรด káad card

Some word may pronounced by falling tone.

Example 3.4-b https://youtu.be/7ixm_Ho5yaA

คอมพวเตอร khoom-phiw-tôoe computer

มอเตอร moo-tôoe motor

เทอรมนอล thooe-mí-nôon terminal

14


4. Double Consonant/kham khûap klàm/ค ำควบกล ำ [S&L], [W&R]

“kham khûap klàm” is the word with double initial consonant, There

are 3 Thai character that used as second initial consonant including, ล, ร

and ว (similar with l, r, w). Two initial consonant are pronounced

almost at the same time, similar with English.

Example 4-a https://youtu.be/jzhuSgA0AZI

ใกล klây near

ไกล klay far

คลอง khloong canal

คร khruu teacher

กรอง kroong to filter

กรำบ kràap to prostrate

ครอบ khrôop to cover

ควำย khwaay buffalo

กวำง kwâang wide

ขวำ khwaa right side

There is an exception of using “ร” as the second initial consonant. If “ร”

follow “จ”, “ส”, or “ศ” as the second initial consonant, nothing is

happening with pronunciation.

Example 4-b https://youtu.be/jzhuSgA0AZI

จรง jing true, real

15


สรำง sâang to build

สระน ำ sà-náam pool

If “ร” is used after “ท”, word will be pronounced “soo”.

Example 4-c https://youtu.be/jzhuSgA0AZI

ทรำย saay sand

ไทร sai banyan(a kind of tree)

ทรำบ sâap to know (polite)

16


5. Easy-Difficult Word /kham-yâak kham-ngâai/ค ำยำก-ค ำง ำย

[S&L], [W&R]

This section is written from writer’s opinion.

When I was a little student in primary school, there is a sort of

vocabularies that I must remember how to write it called “difficult

word”. “Difficult word” is quite hard to remember/write for young

student. The opposite side of “difficult word” is “easy word”, much

more frequently used than difficult word. “Difficult word” can be

written by using simple method/character used for easy word writing

to show how the difficult word is pronounced. This means, if you are a

beginner for Thai, you should at least remember some character and

understand some basic writing method as explained above.

“Difficult word” may be written by a rule that should not be called a

rule, because it is applicable for only a few words. The better technique

to handle with “difficult word” is to remember it through a lot of

reading.

The words I consider it as “difficult word” when I was a student are

frequently involved with these thing.

Table 5.1 Alphabet in Difficult Words

Symbol

Name

Meaning

Consonant


ฆ ฆ ระฆง khoo rá -khang bell kho k low

ฌ ฌ เฌอ choo chooe tree ch - low

ญ ญ หญง yoo yǐng woman y n low

ฎ ฎ ชฎำ doo chá daa headdress d t mid

ฏ ฏ ปฏก too pà tàk goad, Javelin t t mid

17


Symbol

Name

Meaning

Consonant


ฐ ฐ ฐำน thoo thaan pedestal th t high

ฑ ฑ มณโฑ thoo monthoo Montho, character

from Ramayana th t low

ฒ ฒ ผ เฒำ thoo phûu-thâo elder th t low

ณ ณ เณร noo neen samanera n n low

ธ ธ ธง thoo thong flag th t low

ภ ภ ส ำเภำ phoo sam-phao saliboat ph p low

ศ ศ ศำลำ soo saalaa pavilion, sala s t high

ษ ษ ฤๅษ soo ruue-sǐi hermit s t high

ฬ ฬ จฬำ loo jù-laa kite l N low

Note: There are 30 alphabets left for “easy word”.

Table 5.2 List of Final consonant in difficult word

Type Final Alphabet

Dead

k ก, ข, ค, ฆ

p บ, ป, พ, ฟ, ภ

t ช, ซ, จ, ฎ, ฏ, ฐ, ฑ, ฒ, ด, ต, ถ, ท, ธ, ศ, ษ, ส

Live

m ม

n ญ, ณ, น, ร, ล, ฬ

ng ง

w ว

y ย

Note: Final Consonant with strikethrough means it is used in “easy word”.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sala_(architecture)

18


Table 5.3 Vowel in Difficult Word

Short Vowel Long Vowel

Similar Symbol

Phonetic Sound

Symbol

Phonetic Sound Original * Original *

ฤ - rɯ rue ฤๅ - rɯ: ruue -

ฦ - lɯ ฦๅ - lɯ: luue -

-รร - - an run

ตวกำรนต tuaa-kaa-ran ()

“tua ka ran” has nothing on pronunciation of the word. It generally

used in Thai word that borrowed from foreign language.

Word with สร ศร ทร

As explained in section 4.

Example 5 https://youtu.be/lliAx8ktInk

This is the way I learn difficult word from student book when I was a

young student.

ปรญญำ อำนวำ(Read) ปะ รน ยำ (bachler degree)

parinyaa àanwâa pa-rin-yaa

บรรยำย อำนวำ บน ยำย (narrate)

banyaay àanwâa ban-yaay

19


สรำงสรรค อำนวำ สำง สน (creative)

sâangsan àanwâ sâang-san

ธรรมชำต อำนวำ ท ำ มะ ชำด (natural)

thammachâad àanwâ tham-ma-châad

ช ำนำญ อำนวำ ช ำ นำน (expert)

chamnaan àanwâa chamnaan

สมภำษณ อำนวำ สม พำด (interview)

samphâad àanwâa sam-phâad

สญลกษณ อำนวำ สน ยะ ลก (symbol)

sanyalák àanwâa san-ya-lák

เกษตร อำนวำ กะ เสด (agriculture)

kasèed àanwâa ka-sèed

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Transcript of Thai Writing, Reading and Pronunciation Guidebook...***** Some words with short vowel may pronounce...