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Vowels

The system below uses a (+) for long vowels and a (!) for short vowels. For long vowels, always lengthen the first part of the sound e.g. ar is short and aaaar is long (exaggerated!).

 

Thai

Transliteration

Comment

ar!

e.g. mark

/−

ar+

e.g. mark

a!

e.g. can

ai!

e.g. pie

าย

ai+

e.g. pie

ao!

e.g. cow

าว/−าว

ao+

e.g. cow, note that this can also be short in some words

ey!

Like ‘ay’ in hay but with an ‘eh’ sound (tongue at top of teeth)

ey+

As above

e!

e.g. pet

−−

e+

e.g. pet

็ว

ey!oh!

‘ey’ + Short ‘oh’ at end

ey+oh!

‘ey’ + Short ‘oh’ at end

ะ/แ

aer!

Like ‘air’ but higher (tongue at top of teeth, ‘eh’ sound)

aer+

As above

−−

ae!

ae+

Like ‘a’ in ‘mat’ but higher (tongue at top of teeth, ‘eh’ sound).  Can be long or short.

aeo!

aeo+

Like ‘ae’ + short ‘oh’. However the sound is completely merged so we do not write as ae+oh! Can be long or short.

อะ/เ

ur!

Like her but lower

ur+

 

ur!ee!

ur+ee!

Can be long or short

อว

???

 

ิ/

i!

e.g. sip

ี/

ee+

e.g. seep

ิว

ee!oo!

 

ียะ

ee!uh!

 

ีย/ีย

ee+uh!

ee!uh!

Can be long or short

oh!

e.g. go

/โ−−

oh+

e.g. go

−−

o!

e.g. gone, this is an implicit ‘o’ when written in thai

oi+

e.g. boy

าะ/−็อ

aw!

 

อ/

aw+

 

อย

aw!ee!

aw+ee!

Can be long or short

/−

uu!

e.g. boot but lower (tongue on bottom of mouth)

/−

uu+

As above

ุย

uu!ee!

 

ูย

uu+ee!