click on each topic to navigate
                        

laovowelsound.gif (2205 bytes)
                         

WB01432_.gif (3228 bytes)
                 
Lao vowels and their approximated English equivalents appear below:
                  
1.   Lao Short Vowel Sounds - short, final, glottalized

Click on each speaker icon to listen to the pronunciation  ( tone chart )
Lao IPA Sample Lao Words Sounds & Meanings
01a.gif (355 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
a? dtfko ka2?daan/ blackbroad
03i.gif (332 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
i? dtxy ka2?pi2?/ shrimp past
05ue.gif (345 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
y s,kdvb maak-y / pumpkin
07u.gif (300 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
u? 75 ku2?/ a bucket
12aa.gif (442 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
E? cdt kE2?/ a sheep
11ae.gif (408 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
e? g8t te2?/ kick
13o1.gif (438 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
o? 38t to / table
16au2.gif (421 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
O? g[kt bO?/ a cushion
21ua.gif (464 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
ua? 8q;t tua?/ lie
18ia.gif (433 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
ia? g]ap lia?/ to lick
19ue.gif (471 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
ya? mkgxbv thaapya?/ to apply
28eau.gif (388 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
e gxygxnhvo pepyyan / dirty
               
2.   Lao Long Vowel Sounds - long

Click on each speaker icon to listen to the pronunciation  ( tone chart )
Lao IPA Sample Lao Words Sounds & Meanings
02aa.gif (340 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
aa 8kxk ta4apaa/  fish eye
04ii.gif (338 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
ii xu pii4/ year
06uue.gif (340 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
yy ,n my2y/ hands
08uu.gif (317 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
uu 76 ku4u/ a teacher
10ee.gif (375 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
EE  cs hE4E/ a fishing net
09e.gif (328 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
ee gx pe4e/ a hammock
14o2.gif (352 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
oo xk3f pa4ado4o/ snake fish
15au.gif (301 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
OO  l= sOO/ a pencil
22ua2.gif (407 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
ua sq; hu4a/ head
23ia2.gif (416 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
ia g9p ji2a/ a bat
20ue2.gif (453 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
yya glnv sy4a/ a tiger
17ea.gif (380 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
ee (h;pg/u thuayfe4e/ a noodle soup bowl
                     
3. Lao Additional Vowel Sounds: a+ i, y, w, m, n, p, t, k, N (medial a + finals)

Click on each speaker icon to listen to the pronunciation  ( tone chart )
Lao IPA Sample Lao Words Sounds & Meanings
24ai1.gif (373 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
ai wd ka4i/ far
25ai2.gif (386 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
ay .z pha4y/ who
26ao.gif (434 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
aw gsqk ha4o/ lice
27am.gif (345 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
am ]e la2m/ to sing
                  
All Lao Vowel Sounds: short vs long contrasts

Click on each speaker icon to listen to the pronunciation  ( tone chart )
Lao IPA Sample Lao Words Sounds & Meanings
01a.gif (355 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
a? dtfko ka2?daan/ blackbroad
02aa.gif (340 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
aa 8kxk ta4apaa/  fish eye
03i.gif (332 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
i? dtxy ka2?pi2?/ shrimp past
04ii.gif (338 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
ii xu pii4/ year
05ue.gif (345 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
y s,kdvb maak-y / pumpkin
06uue.gif (340 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
yy ,n my2y/ hands
07u.gif (300 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
u? 75 ku2?/ a bucket
08uu.gif (317 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
uu 76 ku4u/ a teacher
12aa.gif (442 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
E? cdt kE2?/ a sheep
10ee.gif (375 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
EE  cs hE4E/ a fishing net
11ae.gif (408 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
e? g8t te2?/ kick
09e.gif (328 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
ee gx pe4e/ a hammock
13o1.gif (438 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
o? 38t to / table
14o2.gif (352 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
oo xk3f pa4ado4o/ snake fish
16au2.gif (421 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
O? g[kt bO?/ a cushion
15au.gif (301 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
OO  l= sOO/ a pencil
21ua.gif (464 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
ua? 8q;t tua?/ lie
22ua2.gif (407 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
ua sq; hu4a/ head
18ia.gif (433 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
ia? g]ap lia?/ to lick
23ia2.gif (416 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
ia g9p ji2a/ a bat
19ue.gif (471 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
ya? mkgxbv thaapya?/ to apply
20ue2.gif (453 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
yya glnv sy4a/ a tiger
28eau.gif (388 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
e gxygxnhvo pOpyyan / dirty
17ea.gif (380 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
ee (h;pg/u thuayfe4e/ a noodle soup bowl
                      
In order to best view this site and its Lao Fonts, you will need to download the Lao New Light, IPA, and Lao Phonemic Fonts then save them in your Windows/Fonts directory.
     
Lessons:
  1. Lao Consonants: learning consonants and learning how to pronounce each consonant
  2. Pronunciation of Lao Consonants
  3. Prononciation of Lao Vowels
  4. Vowels & Final Consonants: learning to read and write some vowels with consonant ending

Exercises:

Exercise 1: Consonants
Exercise 2: Consonants
Exercise 3: Consonants
Exercise 4: Vowels
Exercise 5: Vowels
Exercise 6: Vowels
          

 

SEAsite Laos | Overview | History | Art & Culture | Language | Literature

Gallery | Folklore | Other Topics | Links | SEAsite