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Ta#m Consonants
                            

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   The next group of consonants you will learn is the ta#m class.  This is the largest group, containing 13 consonants.  You already know five of them, i.e. the consonants  ',  p,  o,  ,, and  ;; and since you already know all the vowels, there are only eight new symbols to learn in this section.

    The ta#m consonants are pronounced with the high rising tone.

(Click here to review Lao Vowels)
              
7 I m - r 2 ] i , o ; p '
khO2O hO2O thO2O sO2O phO2O fO2O lO2O rO2O mO2O nO2O vO2O ñO2O NO2O
                  
   Notes:  (1)  i  (rO2O) is usually pronounced lO2O.

                (2)  There are two symbols for the sound "l":  ]and  i.  Some words are written with  ] while others are written with i.

                (3)  Notice that although  p  is pronounced "y" when it ends a syllable, it is pronounced "ñ" when it begins one.
                 
dkp pk pkp
kaay ñáa ñáay
            
   The syllable  7k  is pronounced kháa.  Look at the following syllables and read them aloud.
            
gInv 2u m= ,k g- rk ci ' q;
huá fií thO2O maá seé phaá rEE Núa
                 
   WHAT TONE DO THEY HAVE?   Answer!

(Click here to refer to the Lao Tones Chart.)

            Rule:  A ta#m consonant + a long vowel has high rising tone.

            READ THE FOLLOWING SYLLABLES:
                  
' q;,k g,aPg,nv[hko ,ug;]k
wxxkdg-[= rkxhk,k dyodkg2
              
Practice Reading:
  
   
            LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING AND READ THEM ALOUD.
               
]k; gInvo oq, 3I'IPo wm 7no 7qo .og,nv'
laáw huán nóm hóoN hián tháy khu#un khón náy muáN
                
            WHAT TONE DO THEY HAVE?   Answer!

(Click here to refer to the Lao Tones Chart.)

            Rule:  ta#m consonant + any vowel + a sonorant has high rising tone.

            PRACTICE READING THE FOLLOWING SYLLABLES:
                
]k;[+,ug'uo rkp.og9af3,'
-k;okdyodkg2 7;kpcr'
okp76g,nvgInvo 7qowm'k,
;P'9ao 3I'IPo 3I'cI, 3I'dko
.og,nv' ovo mk' .o]k;
g;ao ;ao9ao ;aova'7ko dk'7no
7;o9t -v' g7up ]5'
                
   The effect of mày eêk and mày thóo is the same for the ta#m consonants as it is for the kaaN consonants.

            READ THE FOLLOWING SYLLABLES:
                 
ojk' -nj r6j c,jo
na#aN su#u phu#u mE#En
                  
            Rule:  Any consonant with a mày eêk indicates high-mid tone.

            PRACTICE READING THE FOLLOWING WORDS:
                 
c,jo gmnjv -nj g-qjk obj' pjk'
g[yj' g,njvp ,j;o cfj g7yj' mjko
]5j, r+[hko oaj' [hko muj [j;'
,j;o mjP' mjk'jvo gryjo -qj;3,' [jvo
pujx5jo mjkgfnjv r+c,j 8vomjP' ojk' r6j
                 
   A mày thóo with a ta#m consonant indicates the high falling tone, just as it does with a kaaN consonant.

            READ THE FOLLOWING:
                 
oaho c]h; ouh Ihvo
nàn lE1Ew nìi hO1On
               
   Rule:  ta#m or kaaN + mày thóo indicates high falling tone.

            PRACTICE READING THE FOLLOWING SYLLABLES:
                
  3I'cI,Ihvo   rujohv'dyooeh-k
  wx-nj-njc]h;]hP;   ]hP;-hkpdjvo
  7qooahog,njvpc]h;   oeh-kouhIhvo
  rujohv'wfhwxmjkgfnjvc]h;   3,'oaho-hk
                 
   Look at the following and read them aloud:
                
3rf r;d m6f
phoòt phuàk thuùt
               
            WHAT TONE DO THEY HAVE?  Answer!

(Click here to refer to the Lao Tones Chart.)

            Rule:  A ta#m consonant + a long vowel + a stop has high falling tone.

            PRACTICE READING THE FOLLOWING SYLLABLES:
                
  r;dgIqkwfhr=hm6f   ;Pd]k;pkd
  g9qhk,u7v[7q;[=   dyowdjc-[
  r;dg9qhk,u;Pd[=   7bfIvf
  r;dgIqk9twx1k,m6fva'dyf   dkoIPovjko]k;'jkp3rf
  gvnhvpg9qhk7q;dyo16jgInvo[=  
                
   Look at the following and read them aloud:
                
]af iqf gIaf rad
la#t lo#t he#t pha#k
             
            WHAT TONE DO THEY HAVE?  Answer!

(Click here to refer to the Lao Tones Chart.)

            Rule:  A ta#m consonant + a short vowel + a stop has high-mid tone.

                     (Likewise:   A ta#m consonant + a short vowel -- and no final consonant -- has high-mid tone, e.g. pha#, no#.)

            PRACTICE READING THE FOLLOWING SYLLABLES:
               
  wxoeiqf9adgokt   Ivfxkdg-rad3I'cI,
  oadIPopujx5jogIaf;Pd   wx;P'9aooeiqfg,
  ]k;c,jookp76r;dgIqk   r;dg9qhk,kc8jg,nv'vg,ibdk
  g9qhk-ywxmjkgfnjv9ad3,'   g9qhkI6h[=
  ]k;-njdv'7eg,jo[=   gIafdkooem6fva'dyf
  ]k;-ygvqkdkg2g1ao   g9qhk,advkdkfIhvo[=
  ]k;,kc8jiafwf   wxg[yj'-ygoh,k

 

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