| 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
|
|