Learn to recognize and produce tone variations
Get this lesson’s key vocab, their translations and pronunciations. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.
Unlock Lesson Notes and Transcripts for every single lesson. Sign Up for a Free Lifetime Account and Get 7 Days of Premium Access.
| ไมค์ (mai) "microphone" |
| ใหม่ (mài) "new" |
| ไหม้ (mâi) "to be burnt" |
| ไม้ (mái) "wood" |
| ไหม (mǎi) "silk" |
| By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to tell them apart, PLUS you'll be practicing them and on your way to perfect pronunciation. |
| I'm Earn, and this is Thai Pronunciation Through Minimal Pairs. |
| Tone is the use of pitch to distinguish meaning. |
| Just like how mispronouncing a sound or misreading a character can have a huge impact on meaning, using the wrong tone can drastically change the meaning of a word or sentence, too. |
| There are five tones in Thai. |
| The mid tone is pronounced with a flat and steady pitch, remaining neutral without rising or falling. |
| For example, |
| ไมค์ |
| [3 sec pause] |
| (mai) – "microphone" |
| ไมค์ (enunciated) |
| ไมค์ |
| [3 sec pause] |
| The low tone is pronounced with a consistently low pitch, sounding slightly deeper and more relaxed. |
| ใหม่ |
| [3 sec pause] |
| (mài) – "new" |
| ใหม่ (enunciated) |
| ใหม่ |
| [3 sec pause] |
| The falling tone is pronounced with a high pitch that gradually drops to a lower pitch, like a natural emphasis or conclusion. |
| ไหม้ |
| [3 sec pause] |
| (mâi) – "to be burnt" |
| ไหม้ (enunciated) |
| ไหม้ |
| [3 sec pause] |
| The high tone is pronounced with a consistently high pitch, sounding sharp and emphatic. |
| ไม้ |
| [3 sec pause] |
| (mái) – "wood" |
| ไม้ (enunciated) |
| ไม้ |
| [3 sec pause] |
| The rising tone is pronounced with a low pitch that gradually rises to a higher pitch, sounding questioning or expressive. |
| ไหม |
| [3 sec pause] |
| (mǎi) – "silk" |
| ไหม (enunciated) |
| ไหม |
| [3 sec pause] |
| To sum up, mid tone is level; low tone stays low and steady; high tone rises sharply; falling tone peaks and then drops; and rising tone starts low and ends high. |
| Listen and repeat or speak along with me. |
| Ready? |
| ใกล้ (glâi) (ไกล) (glai) |
| "near" / "far" |
| (space for repetition) |
| ใกล้ (glâi) (ไกล) (glai) |
| "near" / "far" |
| ลม (lom) vs. ล้ม (lóm) |
| "wind" / "to fall" |
| (space for repetition) |
| ลม (lom) vs. ล้ม (lóm) |
| "wind" / "to fall" |
| ม้า (máa) (หมา) (mǎa) |
| "horse" / "dog" |
| (space for repetition) |
| ม้า (máa) (หมา) (mǎa) |
| "horse" / "dog" |
| หอ (hǎaw) (ห่อ) (hàaw) |
| "dorm" / "to wrap" |
| (space for repetition) |
| หอ (hǎaw) (ห่อ) (hàaw) |
| "dorm" / "to wrap" |
| ป่า (bpàa) (ป้า) (bpâa) |
| "forest" / "aunt" |
| (space for repetition) |
| ป่า (bpàa) (ป้า) (bpâa) |
| "forest" / "aunt" |
| Now listen to the following sentences. |
| (3 sec pause) |
| บ้านของเขาอยู่ใกล้มหาวิทยาลัยแต่ไกลจากสถานีรถไฟ |
| (bâan khǎawng khǎo yùu glâi má-hǎa-wít-thá-yaa-lai dtàae glai jàak sà-thǎa-nii-rót-fai.) |
| "His house is near the university but far from the train station." |
| (3 sec pause) |
| ใกล้, ไกล |
| ลมพัดแรงจนต้นไม้ล้ม |
| (lom phát raaeng jon dtôn-mái lóm.) |
| "The wind blows strongly, causing the tree to fall." |
| (3 sec pause) |
| ลม, ล้ม |
| หมาเห่าใส่ม้าที่กำลังเดินผ่าน |
| (mǎa hào sài máa thîi gam-lang dooen phàan.) |
| "The dog barked at the horse walking by." |
| (3 sec pause) |
| ม้า, หมา |
| Read the following sentences out loud, focusing on the different sounds. |
| เขาห่อข้าวจากหอไปกินที่ที่ทำงาน |
| (khǎo hàaw khâao jàak hǎaw bpai gin thîi thîi-tham-ngaan.) |
| "He wraps food from the dorm to eat at work." |
| (3 sec pause) |
| หอ, ห่อ |
| ป้าของฉันไปเก็บเห็ดในป่า |
| (bpâa khǎawng chǎn bpai gèp hèt nai bpàa.) |
| "My aunt goes to pick mushrooms in the forest." |
| (3 sec pause) |
| ป่า, ป้า |
| By the way, if you watched til the end… |
| Here's a special resource just for you… |
| 30+ Thai PDF Cheat Sheets… |
| …That will improve your Thai twice as fast — yours FREE. |
| Just click the link in the comments section. |
Comments
Hide