| Initial consonants
|
| H |
C |
S |
Examples |
English approximation
|
| ʔ
|
anh [ʔɐjn] (unwritten, occurs before initial vowels)
|
uh-oh; informal British button
|
| ɓ
|
ba
|
bee with a gulp
|
| ɗ
|
đi
|
day with a gulp
|
| f
|
phở
|
fight, photo
|
| ɣ
|
ga; ghế
|
Kinatsila: [amigo] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)
|
| h
|
hàng
|
high
|
| k
|
cô, kem[1]
|
scan, kid
|
| kʷ
|
w
|
quanh
|
quick (Northern dialect)
wow (Southern dialect)
|
| x
|
kʰ
|
khô
|
loch (Northern dialect)
cat (Southern dialect)
|
| l
|
là
|
low
|
| m
|
mai
|
my
|
| n
|
nam
|
no
|
| ɲ
|
nhà
|
canyon
Kinatsila: [señorita] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help), Plantilya:Lang-fr
|
| ŋ
|
ngâm; nghe
|
singer
|
| p
|
pin[2]
|
sport
|
| s
|
s
|
xa
|
so
|
| ʂ
|
sáu
|
show, but with tongue curled
|
| t
|
tây
|
stop
|
| tʰ
|
thầy
|
top, get him
|
| t͡ɕ ~ c
|
t͡ɕ ~ c
|
chè
|
change
|
| ʈ ~ ʈ͡ʂ
|
tra
|
trend, but with tongue curled
|
| v
|
j
|
về[3]
|
victory
|
| z/ ʑ/ ʝ
|
j
|
già, giết
|
yes
|
| z
|
da, danh
|
zero
|
| r
|
ra, rồi
|
similar to red; variably pronounced as a fricative, flap or trill
|
| Medial glide
|
| ʷ
|
oanh; quốc; Nguyễn, tuy[4]
|
quick
|
| Final consonants
|
| j
|
cái, tay[5][6], tui[7]
|
boy
|
| m
|
thêm
|
pom
|
| n
|
ŋ
|
ban
|
pin
|
| ŋ
|
trứng
|
long
|
| n
|
n
|
mìn, bên (after i, ê)[8]
|
hen
|
| ŋ̟
|
bình[8][5]
|
onion (various pronunciations)
|
| n
|
ŋm
|
bốn[9], bún (after u, ô)
|
pen
|
| ŋm
|
chúng (after u, ô, o)[10]
|
like long, but with an 'm' after the 'ng'
|
| p̚
|
tiếp
|
clasp, but the p almost-pronounced (lip closed)
|
| t
|
k
|
xuất
|
pit
|
| k
|
ác
|
pick
|
| t
|
t
|
chít (after i, ê)[8]
|
hit
|
| k̟
|
cách[8][5]
|
technical (various pronunciations)
|
| t
|
kp
|
một (after u, ô)
|
cut
|
| kp
|
học (after u, ô, o)[10]
|
backpack
|
| w
|
tao, triệu[10],đau
|
how
|
|
| Monophthongs
|
| IPA
|
Examples |
English approximation
|
| a
|
ăn, may; cau
|
RP cut
|
| aː
|
ba, mai, cao
|
father (Australian English)
|
| e
|
về, cây
|
day, said (monophthongal)
|
| ɛː
|
xe
|
set
|
| ə
|
ân
|
balance
|
| əː
|
bơ
|
RP hurt
|
| i
|
khi; tuy[4]
|
seat
|
| ɨ or ɯ
|
tư
|
similar to glasses; Russian ты
|
| o
|
cô, sâu
|
bowl (monophthongal)
|
| ɔː
|
có, xoong[11]
|
off
|
| u
|
ru, tui[7]
|
rule, too
|
| Diphthongs
|
| iə
|
viên, bia
|
beer, but without curling tongue for the 'r'
|
| ɨə
|
xương, chưa
|
near
|
| uə
|
uống, mua
|
influence
|
| Tones
|
| IPA
|
Vietnamese name
|
Description
|
Diacritical mark
|
Examples
|
Hanoi
|
Saigon
|
| ā ə̄
|
thanh ngang
|
mid level
|
no mark
|
a
|
[˧]
|
[˧]
|
| à ə̀
|
thanh huyền
|
low falling (breathy)
|
grave accent
|
à
|
[˨˩]
|
[˨˩]
|
| ǎ ə̌
|
thanh sắc
|
mid rising, tense
|
acute accent
|
á, ấc[12]
|
[˧˥]
|
[˧˥]
|
| â ə̂
|
thanh hỏi
|
mid falling, glottalized, heavy
|
hook above
|
ả[13]
|
[˧˩]
|
[˧˩˧]
|
| ǎˀ ə̌ˀ
|
thanh ngã
|
mid falling(-rising), emphasis
|
tilde
|
ã
|
[˧ˀ˥]
|
[˧˩˧]
|
| âˀ ə̂ˀ
|
thanh nặng
|
mid rising, glottalized
|
dot below
|
ạ, ậc[12]
|
[˧ˀ˩]
|
[˨˧]
|
|
