- The low tone starts low and rises slighly at the end of a phrase.
ເກົ້າເດືອນ |
kàw
dyan |
9 months |
|
ສິບເດືອນ |
síp
dyan |
10 months |
|
ສີ່ເດືອນ |
síi
dyan |
4 months |
|
ຫ້າເດືອນ |
hâa
dyan |
5 months |
| |
In the following group, the tone of ເດືອນ dyan is low and does not rise because it does not come at the end of the
phrase. he low tone starts low and rises slighly at the end of a phrase.
|
|
ເດືອນເກົ້າ |
dyan
kàw |
September |
|
ເດືອນສິບ |
dyan
síp |
October |
|
ເດືອນສີ່ |
dyan
síi |
April |
|
ເດືອນຫ້າ |
dyan
hâa |
May |
- The rising tone starts low and rises.
| ສອງ |
sɔ̌ɔŋ |
two |
| ສາມ |
sǎam |
three |
| ເສັງ |
sěŋ |
test, quiz |
| ໃຜ |
phǎy |
who |
| ຫຍັງ |
ñǎŋ |
what |
| ສວຍ |
sǔay |
too late |
| ທ້ອງ |
thǒŋ |
stomach |
| ທອງ |
thɔ̌ɔŋ |
gold |
| ທ່ານໝໍ |
thāan
mɔ̌ɔ |
a doctor |
|
ເຈົ້າແຂວງ |
càw
khwε̌εŋ |
governor |
| ມີສີ |
míi
síi |
With color |
|
ອາກາດໜາວ |
aakâat
nǎaw |
cold weather |
|
ຈັກພາສາ |
cák
pháasǎa |
how many languages |
|
ໝູ່ຍ່າງ |
mūu
ñāaŋ |
my friend's walking. |
|
ຕື່ນຢູ່ |
tȳyn
jūu |
Awake |
- In a sentence and in compounds, words sometimes change in length
and tone depending on adjacent words. Compare the following words when said alone
and when said in phrases.
| ສີ |
síi |
color |
| ສີຂຽວ |
síi
khǐaw |
green color |
| ໜາວ |
nǎaw |
cold |
|
ໜາວຫຼາຍ |
nǎaw
lǎay |
very cold |
| ແຂວງ |
khwε̌εŋ |
province |
|
ແຂວງຫົວຄອງ |
khwε̌εŋ
hǔakhɔ̌ɔŋ |
Hua Khong Province |
| ໝໍ |
mɔ̌ɔ |
doctor |
|
ໝໍປົວສັດ |
mɔ̌ɔ pua
sát |
pet doctor |
The same change occurs in the first vowel of words such as:
|
| ພາສາ |
pháasǎa |
language |
| ປານໃດ |
paan day |
how |
| ອາຫານ |
aahǎan |
food |
|
ຂ້າລາດຊະການ |
khâa
làasakaan |
official |
|
