Consonants
|
IPA |
Thai |
Lao |
English equivalent
|
b
|
บ |
ບ |
abash
|
d
|
ฎ,ด |
ດ |
ado
|
f
|
ฝ,ฟ |
ຝ,ຟ |
food
|
h
|
ห,ฮ |
ຫ,ຮ |
head
|
j
|
ญ,ย,อย,หย |
ຢ |
yak
|
k
|
ก |
ກ |
scan
|
kʰ
|
ข,ฃ,ค,ฅ,ฆ |
ຂ,ຄ |
can
|
l
|
ล,ฬ,หล |
ລ,ຫຼ |
leaf
|
m
|
ม,หม |
ມ,ໝ |
much
|
n
|
ณ,น,หน |
ນ,ໜ |
not
|
ŋ
|
ง,หง |
ງ,ຫງ |
bang
|
ɲ
|
— |
ຍ,ຫຍ |
canyon (Lao only)
|
p
|
ป |
ປ |
span
|
pʰ
|
ผ,พ,ภ |
ຜ,ພ |
pan
|
r
|
ร,หร |
ຣ,ຫຼ ,ຫຣ |
trilled r
|
s
|
ซ,ศ,ษ,ส |
ສ,ຊ |
sue
|
t
|
ฏ,ต |
ຕ |
stable
|
tʰ
|
ฐ,ฑ,ฒ,ถ,ท,ธ |
ຖ,ທ |
table
|
tɕ
|
จ |
ຈ |
catch
|
tɕʰ
|
ฉ, ช, ฌ |
— |
choose
|
w
|
ว,หว |
ວ,ຫວ |
way, quick
|
ʔ
|
อ, ะ |
ອ |
the catch in uh-oh
|
|
Tone
|
IPA |
Description
|
aː = āː
|
mid [aː˧]
|
àː
|
low [aː˨˩]
|
âː
|
falling [aː˥˩] (Thai), high falling [aː˥˧] (Lao)
|
a̭ː
|
low falling [aː˧˩] (Lao only)
|
áː
|
high [aː˦˥]
|
ǎː
|
mid rising [aː˨˦]
|
|
Vowels
|
IPA |
Thai[1] |
Lao |
English equivalent
|
Short vowels
|
a
|
◌ะ, ั◌ |
◌ະ, ັ◌ |
far
|
e
|
เ◌ะ, เั◌ |
ເ◌ະ, ເັ◌ |
let
|
ɛ
|
แ◌ะ, แั◌ |
ແ◌ະ, ແັ◌ |
mat
|
i
|
ิ |
ິ |
feet
|
o
|
โ◌ะ |
ໂ◌ະ, ົ◌ |
boat
|
ɔ
|
เ◌าะ |
ໍ |
lot
|
u
|
ุ |
ຸ |
book
|
ɯ
|
ึ |
ຶ |
luck
|
ɤ
|
เ◌อะ, เิ◌ |
ເິະ, ເິ◌ |
hut
|
Long vowels
|
aː
|
◌า |
◌າ |
bra
|
eː
|
เ◌ |
ເ◌ |
plain
|
ɛː
|
แ◌ |
ແ◌ |
pan
|
iː
|
ี |
ີ |
green
|
oː
|
โ◌ |
ໂ◌ |
home
|
ɔː
|
◌อ |
ໍ, ◌ອ |
lawn
|
uː
|
ู |
ູ |
moon
|
ɯː
|
ื |
ື |
lure
|
ɤː
|
เ◌อ |
ເີ |
fur
|
Diphthongs[2]
|
iə
|
เียะ |
ເັຽະ |
|
iːə
|
เีย |
ເັຽ |
beer
|
uə
|
ัวะ |
ົວະ |
|
uːə
|
ัว |
ົວ |
poor
|
ɯə
|
เือะ |
ເຶອະ |
|
ɯːə
|
เือ |
ເຶອ |
pure
|
|