Learn How To Read Thai - Vowel Summary
Notes
- I wanted to use a horizontal dash as a substitution for the initial consonant in these examples, however, I had HTML formatting problems when trying to do this with vowels that are written above or below consonants. I used the or aang silent consonant instead, but with vowel combinations that use sara or (which is the same symbol as the silent consonant) it may be confusing where the initial consonant is written. The inclusion of a sample word should make this less confusing.
- No two sets of Thai vowels I look at are ever quite the same. They all differ slightly and whenever two sets are compared you will always find additions and omissions.
- The vowels below came from a book aimed at young Thai children (with one of my own additions).
- The resource I used says that the 'ao' vowel is long, however, in David Smyth's 'Teach Yourself Thai' he says it is short. There may be other discrepancies or errors.
- None of the following vowels use the vowel shortener symbol, which is the same symbol at the Thai number eight. This is used in many words, such as bpen, one of the Thai verbs 'to be'. Some lists of vowels include vowels that use this symbol, thus adding to the list.
- The Sanskrit vowels that are never, or very rarely, used aren't strictly vowels, but rather consonant/vowel combinations.
- Where I have shown a link for more information, there may not currently be any more information. I'm working on it and trying to keep motivated to keep working on these tutorials, despite the fact that hardly anyone uses them. If you want a question answered or need information that I haven't covered, please feel free to e-mail me.
- The vowels that consist of a long vowel with sara uh at the end to shorten them appear to be so rare that I can't find any actual words that use them. If I find some examples, I will add them later.
Vowel Summary
อะ
Sample word: จะ
Meaning: Shall, will
Transliteration: juh
Usage: Very common
Length: Short
More: Tutorial 2
อา
Sample word: ฟ้า
Meaning: Sky
Transliteration: faa
Usage: Very common
Length: Long
More: Tutorial 7
อิ
Sample word: บิน
Meaning: To fly
Transliteration: bin
Usage: Very common
Length: Short
More: Tutorial 6
อี
Sample word: มี
Meaning: To have
Transliteration: mee
Usage: Very common
Length: Long
More: Tutorial 3
อึ
Sample word: ขึ้น
Meaning: To go up
Transliteration: keun
Usage: Fairly common
Length: Short
More: Tutorial 27
อื
Sample word: ลืม
Meaning: To forget
Transliteration: leum
Usage: Fairly common
Length: Long
More: Tutorial 27
อุ
Sample word: คุก
Meaning: Jail
Transliteration: kuuk
Usage: Very common
Length: Short
More: Tutorial 4
อู
Sample word: พูด
Meaning: To speak
Transliteration: poot
Usage: Very common
Length: Long
More: Tutorial 18
เอะ
Sample word: เตะ
Meaning: to kick
Transliteration: dta
Usage: Very rare
Length: Short
More: Tutorial 16
เอ
Sample word: เจ
Meaning: Vegetarian food
Transliteration: jay
Usage: Very common
Length: Long
More: Tutorial 16
แอะ
Sample word: และ
Meaning: and
Transliteration: la
Usage: Fairly common
Length: Short
More: Tutorial 24
แอ
Sample word: แต่
Meaning: but
Transliteration: dtair
Usage: Very common
Length: Long
More: Tutorial 16
โอะ
Sample word: โต๊ะ
Meaning: Table
Transliteration: dto
Usage: Fairly rare
Length: Short
More: Tutorial 19
โอ
Sample word: โรง
Meaning: Building
Transliteration: rong
Usage: Quite common
Length: Long
More: Tutorial 19
เอาะ
Sample word: เกาะ
Meaning: Island
Transliteration: Goh
Usage: Fairly common
Length: Short
More: Tutorial 24
ออ
Sample word: ต่อ
Meaning: To extend
Transliteration: dtor
Usage: Quite common
Length: Long
More: Tutorial 11
เออะ
Sample word: เยอะ
Meaning: Lots of
Transliteration: yert
Usage: Quite common
Length: Short
More: Tutorial 24
เออ
Sample word: เธอ
Meaning: You
Transliteration: ter
Usage: Quite common
Length: Long
More: Tutorial 16
เอียะ
Sample word: เจี๊ยะ
Meaning: To eat
Transliteration: jia
Usage: Very rare
Length: Short
More: Tutorial 3
เอีย
Sample word: เสีย
Meaning: Broken
Transliteration: sia
Usage: Quite common
Length: Long
More: Tutorial 6
เอือะ
Sample word: I don't know
Meaning: -
Transliteration: -
Usage: Never
Length: Short
More: Tutorial 27
เอือ
Sample word: เรือ
Meaning: Boat
Transliteration: reua
Usage: Fairly common
Length: Long
More: Tutorial 27
อัวะ
Sample word: ขาวจั๊วะ
Meaning: Pure white
Transliteration: kaaw jua
Usage: Very rare
Length: Short
More: Tutorial 9
อัว
Sample word: วัว
Meaning: Cow
Transliteration: wua
Usage: Fairly common
Length: Long
More: Tutorial 9
อำ
Sample word: ยำ
Meaning: Spicy salad
Transliteration: yum
Usage: Very common
Length: Long
More: Tutorial 7
ใอ
Sample word: ใคร
Meaning: Who
Transliteration: krai
Usage: Fairly rare
Length: Long
More: Tutorial 8
ไอ
Sample word: ได้
Meaning: Can (ability)
Transliteration: dai
Usage: Very common
Length: Long
More: Tutorial 8
เอา
Sample word: เมา
Meaning: Drunk
Transliteration: mao
Usage: Very common
Length: Long
More: Tutorial 7
ฤ
Sample word: อังกฤษ
Meaning: English
Transliteration: ung-grit
Usage: Very rare
Length: Short
More: Tutorial 23
ฤๅ
Sample word: I don't know
Meaning: -
Transliteration: -
Usage: Never
Length: Long
More: Tutorial 23
ฦ
Sample word: I don't know
Meaning: -
Transliteration: -
Usage: Never
Length: Short
More: Tutorial 23
ฦๅ
Sample word: I don't know
Meaning: -
Transliteration: -
Usage: Never
Length: Long
More: Tutorial 23
เอย
Sample word: เนย
Meaning: Butter
Transliteration: nur-ee
Usage: Quite common
Length: Long
More: Tutorial 7
Questions And Feedback
If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, feel free to contact me. Your feedback will help me to improve these pages.
Recommended Books
Amazon UK
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Amazon US