Table 1. The Consonant System

  Labial Apical Laminal Dorsal Glottal
Fortis Oral Consonants Stops, voiceless p t ch k  
Stops, voiced (preglottalized) b d      
Lenis Oral Consonants Voiceless ph th x kh h
Voiced v l z g  
Nasals m n nh ng  

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Symbol

Rough English Equivalent

Examples

spkr1.gif (932 bytes)b

 bad ba - three
bieát - know
spkr1.gif (932 bytes)c scald caù- fish
cuõng - likewise
tic ñoäc - poisonous
hoïc - study
khaùc - difference
möïc - ink
spkr1.gif (932 bytes)ch chop (starting with ch) cheø - tea
choïn - choose
chop (ending with ch) caùch - manner
ích - useful
spkr1.gif (932 bytes)d zone duøng - to use
azure da - skin
spkr1.gif (932 bytes)ñ done ñaù - stone
ñi - go
spkr1.gif (932 bytes)gh gone ñaùng ghi nhôù - note worthy
ghi - to record
spkr1.gif (932 bytes)g same as gh baèng goã - made of wood
goã - wood
spkr1.gif (932 bytes)gi zebra gìn - keep
gieâng - January
gì - what(ever)
gia - increase or add
giaàu - rich
giôø - hour
spkr1.gif (932 bytes)h hat hoà - lake
haùt - sing
spkr1.gif (932 bytes)k sketch kia - over there
keùn - choose
keâu - call
kyø - to sign
spkr1.gif (932 bytes)kh (bach) khoâng - not
khæ - monkey
khaùt - be thirsty
khu - region
spkr1.gif (932 bytes)l lot laù - leaf
luùa - rice growing
lim - ironwood
spkr1.gif (932 bytes)m mat maïnh - strong
mua - buy
him tìm - to search
cam - orange
spkr1.gif (932 bytes)n not naày - this
nöõa - in addition
in in - print
neân - therefore
baùn - sell
spkr1.gif (932 bytes)ngh singer (same as ngh) nghi - suspect
nghe - listen
ngheà - profession
ngöïa - horse
ngon - tasty
spkr1.gif (932 bytes)ng ending ng ñuùng - correct
ong - bee
oâng - grandfather
vaøng - gold
nhöng - but
naëng - heavy
spkr1.gif (932 bytes)gh guillotine ghi - to register
spkr1.gif (932 bytes)nh onion (starting nh) nhaø - house
(ending nh) lính - soldier
maïnh - strong
spkr1.gif (932 bytes)p top kòp - on time
taäp - practice
spkr1.gif (932 bytes)ph photo phaù - destroy
phuùc - happiness
spkr1.gif (932 bytes)qu square queâ - rural area
qua - cross over
spkr1.gif (932 bytes) r zebra ra - go out
roài - already done
spkr1.gif (932 bytes) s sun söõa - milk
seõ - future indication for verb
sao - star
sinh - be born
spkr1.gif (932 bytes)t stop toâi - I
tö - fourth
taây - west
hat (ending t) maùt - cool
meät - tired
spkr1.gif (932 bytes)th Thomas thoâi - stop
thaùng - month
thì - then
spkr1.gif (932 bytes)tr chop treã - late
trang - page
spkr1.gif (932 bytes)v van vaø - and
veà - return
vua - king
spkr1.gif (932 bytes)x sun xa - far
xe - vehicle
xöa - in former times

Contents prepared by Dan Dan Tu
Designed by Hieu Nguyen
Audio by Trung Van Vo