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Tones

Lao, as spoken in Vientiane, has five tones. 

Chart Showing the Relationship between Syllable Types,
Written Tones, and 5-Tone Vientiane Lao
          

 

 Smooth/Live Syllables*

Checked/Dead Syllables**
Written Tone Marks Inherent Tone Tone 1/ ek.gif (262 bytes) Tone 2/ to.gif (284 bytes)  Long Vowel Short Vowel
Syllable-Initial Consonant Class
High Class [su4uN]
ຂ ສ ຖ ຜ ຝ ຫ                        
LOW RISING   4

HIGH-MID    #

LOW FALLING   3 LOW    FALLING   3 HIGH RISING   2
Middle Class [kaaN]
ກ ຈ ດ ຕ ບ ປ ຢ ອ
LOW RISING   4 HIGH-MID    # HIGH FALLING    1 LOW   FALLING   3 HIGH RISING   2
Low Class [ta#m]
ຄ ຊ ທ ພ ຟ ຮ ງ  ຍ ນ ມ ຣ ລ ວ
HIGH RISING   2 HIGH-MID    # HIGH FALLING    1 HIGH FALLING   1 HIGH-MID    #
            
*A syllable that ends in a -p, t, k, or glottal stop is a dead/checked syllable.
**A syllable that ends in a long vowel or a final -m, -n, -ng, y, or w is smooth/live

                        

Example of Vientiane Tone

                      

First Consonant Final Consonant / k Syllables Listen
ກ/k X້າກ ກ້າກ Listen
ຈ/c X້າກ ຈ້າກ
ດ/d X້າກ ດ້າກ
ຕ/t X້າກ ຕ້າກ
ບ/b X້າກ ບ້າກ
ປ/p X້າກ ປ້າກ
ຢ/p X້າກ ຢ້າກ
ອ/? X້າກ ອ້າກ
         
                 
       
First Consonant Final Consonant/ b Syllables Listen
ກ/k

X້າບ

 ກ້າບ Listen
ຈ/c X້າບ ຈ້າບ
ດ/d X້າບ ດ້າບ
ຕ/t X້າບ ຕ້າບ
ບ/b X້າບ ບ້າບ
ປ/p X້າບ ປ້າບ
ຢ/p X້າບ ຢ້າບ
ອ/? X້າບ ອ້າບ
     
           
            
              
First Consonant Final Consonant/ d Syllables Listen
ກ/k X້າດ ກ້າດ Listen
ຈ/c X້າດ ຈ້າດ
ດ/d X້າດ ດ້າດ
ຕ/t X້າດ ຕ້າດ
ບ/b X້າດ ບ້າດ
ປ/p X້າດ ປ້າດ
ຢ/p X້າດ ຢ້າດ
ອ/? X້າດ ອ້າດ
  
 
Chart Showing the Relationship Between the 4 Written Tone Marks and the 5 Spoken Tones of  Lao

Click on the speaker icon to listen to the pronunciation

  

No Written Tone Mark i_tone.gif (446 bytes) mai_to_tone.gif (481 bytes) mai_tee+tone.gif (557 bytes) mai_jatthawa_tone.gif (471 bytes) Listem
ກາ / kaa ກ່າ ກ້າ ກ໊າ ກ໋າ Listen
ເຈາ / caw ເຈ່າ ເຈ້າ ເຈ໊າ ເຈ໋າ
ດີ/ dii ດີ່ ດີ້ ດີ໊ ດີ໋
ເຕ/ tee ເຕ່ ເຕ້ ເຕ໊ ເຕ໋
ເບຍ/ bia ເບ່ຍ ເບ້ຍ ເບ໊ຍ ເບ໋ຍ
ໄປ/ pay ໄປ່ ໄປ້ ໄປ໊ ໄປ໋
ແຢ/ yee ແຢ່ ແຢ້ ແຢ໊ ແຢ໋
ໂອ/ ?oo ໂອ່ ໂອ້ ໂອ໊ ໂອ໋
                     
      
            
                
                   

Consonants

 
The Lao alphabet is made up of 33 consonants representing 21 sounds.   These consonants are divided into three groups.

Lao consonants, their approximate English equivalents, and IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcriptions appear below:
                      
1. Akson Su4uN/High Class Consonants 

  

Click on each speaker icon and underlined word   to listen to the pronunciation
Lao English IPA Sample English Words Sample Lao Words Sounds & Meanings
kh

Kh
k (aspirated) kh kart ໄຂ່ kha#i/ egg
 
s

s
s s saw ເສືອ sy4y/ a tiger
d

spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
d d deck ເດັກ de2k/ a child
ph

ph
p (aspirated) ph paw ເຜິ້ງ phyy1N/ bees
f

f
f f finch ຝົນ fo2n/ rain
 
h

spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
h h hang ຫ່ານ ha#an/ a goose
ng

ng
ng N song ເຫງັນ Nen / a civet cat
y

y
y y yam ຫຍ້າ ya3a/ grass
m

m
m m man ໝາ ma2a/ a dog
n

n
n n nancy ໜູ nu2u/ a rat
l

l
l l land ຫຼາ la2a/  a spinner
v

v
v v van ຫວີ vii2/ a comb
                    
  
   
 
2. Akson KaaN/Middle Class Consonants 

   

Click on each speaker icon and the underlined word to listen to the pronunciation
Lao English IPA Sample English Words Lao Words Sounds & Meanings
k k
g (unaspirated) k gas ໄກ່ ka#i/ chicken
j j
j (voiceless) c jaw ໜາຈອກ ma2ajO3Ok/ a fox
t spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
t (unaspirated) t stay ຕາ ta4a/ eyes
th th
t (aspirated) th talk ໂ໗ tho4/ a jug
b spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
b b boy ແບ້ bE4E/ a goat
p p
p (unaspirated) p spy ປາ pa4a/ fish
y y
y y young ຢາ ya4a/ medichine
aw aw
glottal stop ? jaw ໂອ ?O4O/ a bowl
                         

 

  
   
  
3. Akson Ta#m/Low Class Consonants 

Click on each speaker icon and underlined word   to listen to the pronunciation
Lao English IPA Sample English Words Sample Lao Words Sounds & Meanings
kh kh
k (aspirated) kh kart ຄວາຍ khai 2/ a buffalo
ng ng
ng N hang ງົວ Nu2a/ a cow
x x
s s saw ຊ້າງ sa1aN/ an elephant
y y
ny y 'nyet' (Russian 'no') ຍຸງ yu2N/ a mosquito
th th
t (aspirated) th talk ທຸງ thu2N/ a flag
n n
n n no ນົກ no#k/ a bird
m m
m m man ແມວ mE2Ew/ a cat
ph ph
p (aspirated) ph paw ພູ phu2u/ mountain
f f
f f finch ໄຟ fa2i/ fire
h h
h h hang ເຮືອ hy2a / a boat
l l
l l law ລີງ li2N/ a monkey
v v
v (w final) v (w) van ວີ wi2i/ a fan
l l
l l      
        
    
   
   
 

Lao Vowels

               
Vowels in the Lao language can appear before, after, above, below, and around consonants.  The vowel itself, however, determines its placement.  For instance, the vowel, າ , always appears after the consonant, as in,   ກາ ( kaa / crow).  The vowel,   ູ , always appears below the consonant, as in,   ປູ (puu / crab).  Vowels that "wrap around" a consonant are actually two or more vowels combined to form a sound.  For instance, the vowels  ເ , າ ,   ົ  combine to form the sound "ao," like cow.  This vowel would then be placed "around" a consonant, such as  ຂ to form the word  ເຂົ້າ  (kao/ rice).  In the list below, an "X" will be placed to designate the position of the consonant(s).
               
Lao vowels consist of 28 vowels which represent 27 sounds.  Lao vowels can divided into 3 groups following the table below.
 
1.   Lao Short Vowel Sounds - short, final, glottalized
   
   

Click on each speaker icon and underlined word to listen to the pronunciation 

Lao IPA Sample Lao Words Sounds & Meanings
01a.gif (355 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
a? ກະດານ ka2?daan/ blackbroad
03i.gif (332 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
i? ກະປິ ka2?pi2?/ shrimp past
05ue.gif (345 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
y ຫມາກອຶ maak-y / pumpkin
07u.gif (300 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
u? ຄຸ ku2?/ a bucket
12aa.gif (442 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
E? ແກະ kE2?/ a sheep
11ae.gif (408 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
e? ເຕະ te2?/ kick
13o1.gif (438 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
o? ໂຕະ to / table
16au2.gif (421 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
O? ເບາະ bO?/ a cushion
21ua.gif (464 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
ua? ຕົວະ tua?/ lie
18ia.gif (433 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
ia? ເລັຍ lia?/ to lick
19ue.gif (471 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
ya? ທາເປຶອ thaapya?/ to apply
28eau.gif (388 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
e ເປິເປື້ອນ pepyyan / dirty
               
   
  
  
2.   Lao Long Vowel Sounds - long
   

Click on each speaker icon and underlined word to listen to the pronunciation 
Lao IPA Sample Lao Words Sounds & Meanings
02aa.gif (340 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
aa ຕາປາ ta4apaa/  fish eye
04ii.gif (338 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
ii ປີ pii4/ year
06uue.gif (340 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
yy ມື my2y/ hands
08uu.gif (317 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
uu ຄູ ku4u/ a teacher
10ee.gif (375 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
EE  ແຫ hE4E/ a fishing net
09e.gif (328 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
ee ເປ pe4e/ a hammock
14o2.gif (352 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
oo ປາໂດ pa4ado4o/ snake fish
15au.gif (301 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
OO  ສໍ sOO/ a pencil
22ua2.gif (407 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
ua ຫົວ hu4a/ head
23ia2.gif (416 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
ia ເຈຍ ji2a/ a bat
20ue2.gif (453 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
yya ເສືອ sy4a/ a tiger
17ea.gif (380 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
ee ໗້ວຍເຝີ 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 and underlined word to listen to the pronunciation
Lao IPA Sample Lao Words Sounds & Meanings
24ai1.gif (373 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
ai ໄກ ka4i/ far
25ai2.gif (386 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
ay ໃຜ pha4y/ who
26ao.gif (434 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
aw ເຫົາ ha4o/ lice
27am.gif (345 bytes) spkr1.gif (932 bytes)
am ລຳ la2m/ to sing
                  
          
  

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