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  3. Vietnamese Pronunciation
  • Front Vowels
  • Central Vowels
  • Back Vowels
  • Diphthong Vowels
  • Labial Consonants
  • Alveolar Consonants
  • Retroflex Consonants
  • Palatal Consonants
  • Velar Consonants
  • Glottal Consonants

Pronunciation

ng/ngh[ŋ]

Vietnamese ng = the velar nasal sound /ŋ/.

Same sound as:

English “ng” in sing, long, ring (but Vietnamese has it at the beginning of words too)

1. IPA

ng = /ŋ/ (voiced velar nasal)

2. How to Pronounce It — Step by Step

Tongue Position

Raise the back of your tongue to touch the soft palate (velum).

Tongue tip remains down behind lower front teeth.

Only the back of the tongue makes the closure.

Contact Point

The closure happens where English k / g are made.

Same place as “k” in sky

Same place as “g” in go

Airflow

Airflow through nose only (like all nasals).

The mouth is closed at the velar region.

Voicing

Vocal cords vibrate (voiced consonant).

Characteristics

Very smooth nasal sound.

Occurs frequently at the beginning of Vietnamese words:

ngà, nghe, ngủ, người(This does NOT happen in English.)

Tones of syllables created by ng/ngh
Vowel
1st Tone
2nd Tone
3rd Tone
4th Tone
5th Tone
6th Tone
i nghi nghì nghỉ nghĩ nghí nghị
y nghy nghỳ nghỷ nghỹ nghý nghỵ
ê nghê nghề nghể nghễ nghế nghệ
e nghe nghè nghẻ nghẽ nghé nghẹ
ư ngư ngừ ngử ngữ ngứ ngự
ơ ngơ ngờ ngở ngỡ ngớ ngợ
a nga ngà ngả ngã ngá ngạ
u ngu ngù ngủ ngũ ngú ngụ
ô ngô ngồ ngổ ngỗ ngố ngộ
o ngo ngò ngỏ ngõ ngó ngọ

Pronunciation

c/k/q[k]

Vietnamese c = a voiceless velar stop /k/.

It is the same sound as the English k in sky, school, scan.

(Not like “k” in key, which has a strong puff of air.)

In Vietnamese, c only appears before “a, o, ô, u, ă, â, ơ, u, ư”.

Before “e, i, ê”, Vietnamese uses k instead.

1. IPA

c = /k/ (unaspirated voiceless velar stop)

2. How to Pronounce “c” Step-by-Step

Tongue Position

Lift the back of your tongue (dorsum) to touch the soft palate.

Same tongue position as English k or g.

Tongue tip stays low, touching the back of the lower front teeth.

Contact Point

Back of the tongue fully closes against the soft palate.

This blocks airflow completely.

Airflow

Pressure builds up behind the closure.

Release it quickly, with no puff of air (unaspirated).

Voicing

Vocal cords do not vibrate.

Key difference from English

English k (especially at the start of words) is aspirated (big puff of air).

Vietnamese c is not aspirated, so it sounds softer, shorter, and cleaner.

English “sky” /skai/ comes closest to the Vietnamese “c”.

Tones of syllables created by c/k/q
Vowel
1st Tone
2nd Tone
3rd Tone
4th Tone
5th Tone
6th Tone
i ki kì kỉ kĩ kí kị
y ky kỳ kỷ kỹ ký kỵ
ê kê kề kể kễ kế kệ
e ke kè kẻ kẽ ké kẹ
ư cư cừ cử cữ cứ cự
ơ cơ cờ cở cỡ cớ cợ
a ca cà cả cã cá cạ
u cu cù củ cũ cú cụ
ô cô cồ cổ cỗ cố cộ
o co cò cỏ cõ có cọ

Pronunciation

kh[x]

Vietnamese kh = /x/ (voiceless velar fricative)

Same sound as:

German “ch” in Bach, ach

Scottish “loch”

Spanish strong “j” in José (in some dialects)

This sound does NOT exist in English.

1. IPA

kh = /x/ (voiceless velar fricative)

2. How to pronounce “kh” (Step-by-step)

Tongue Position

Raise the back of your tongue close to the soft palate (same area as “k”).

Do NOT touch fully—leave a small gap.

Tongue tip stays relaxed behind the lower front teeth.

Mouth / Contact

The back of the tongue comes very close to the soft palate, creating a narrow passage.

Airflow

Push air through the small gap, causing friction.

Air should “scratch” or “hiss” at the back of the mouth.

Mouth stays open.

Voicing

Vocal cords do NOT vibrate.

It is voiceless.

Sound impression

Like clearing your throat gently, not strongly.

Similar to a “hoarse h.”

Think: the “h” sound, but moved to the back of the mouth.

Tones of syllables created by kh
Vowel
1st Tone
2nd Tone
3rd Tone
4th Tone
5th Tone
6th Tone
i khi khì khỉ khĩ khí khị
ê khê khề khể khễ khế khệ
e khe khè khẻ khẽ khé khẹ
ư khư khừ khử khữ khứ khự
ơ khơ khờ khở khỡ khớ khợ
a kha khà khả khã khá khạ
u khu khù khủ khũ khú khụ
ô khô khồ khổ khỗ khố khộ
o kho khò khỏ khõ khó khọ

Pronunciation

g/gh[ɣ]

Vietnamese g has two different pronunciations depending on the region:

Northern Vietnamese (Hanoi)

/ɣ/ = voiced velar fricative

→ sounds like a soft, voiced version of kh (/x/)

→ similar to Spanish "g" in lago (in some dialects)

Southern Vietnamese (Saigon)

/ɡ/ = voiced velar stop

→ same as English g in go

Important:

Before e, ê, i, Vietnamese uses gh instead of g (but the sound is the same).

Northern Vietnamese “g” = /ɣ/

A voiced velar fricative.

This sound does not exist in English.

How to pronounce /ɣ/ (Northern)

Raise the back of your tongue close to the soft palate, but do not touch it completely.

Create a narrow gap → air passes through with friction.

Add vocal cord vibration (voiced).

The sound is like a softer, buzzing version of kh (/x/).

Think:

A “soft gargling” sound

A gentle version of the Arabic “gh”

Voiced version of German “ch” in “Bach”

Southern Vietnamese “g” = /ɡ/

Same as English “g” in go, get, gum.

How to pronounce /ɡ/ (Southern)

Back of tongue touches soft palate fully.

Air pressure builds behind closure.

Tongue releases the closure → g sound.

Tones of syllables created by g/gh
Vowel
1st Tone
2nd Tone
3rd Tone
4th Tone
5th Tone
6th Tone
i ghi ghì ghỉ ghĩ ghí ghị
y ghy ghỳ ghỷ ghỹ ghý ghỵ
ê ghê ghề ghể ghễ ghế ghệ
e ghe ghè ghẻ ghẽ ghé ghẹ
ư gư gừ gử gữ gứ gự
ơ gơ gờ gở gỡ gớ gợ
a ga gà gả gã gá gạ
u gu gù gủ gũ gú gụ
ô gô gồ gổ gỗ gố gộ
o go gò gỏ gõ gó gọ
Course Image

Greetings

In this material, we have studied 100 commonly used Vietnamese greeting expressions used in everyday conversation. These include greetings for meeting, parting, caring, welcoming, and wishing well, such as “Hello,” “How are you?”, “Nice to meet you,” and “Have a nice day.”

For each sentence, we provided:

• Natural translations in English

• Word-by-word explanations with meanings and parts of speech

• Sentence structure analysis

• Usage notes, including politeness and context

One important feature of Vietnamese greetings is their strong connection to age, social roles, and relationships. This material is designed not only to help learners memorize phrases, but also to understand why a certain expression is used and when it is appropriate.

Whether you are a beginner or a learner aiming to sound natural and polite, this collection serves as a practical and reliable guide to mastering Vietnamese greetings in real-life situations.

Course Image

Love

In this material, we studied 100 Vietnamese sentences focused on romantic expressions.

The phrases cover a wide range of real-life usage, from greetings and caring words to expressions of affection, deep love, emotional support, and promises for the future.

For each sentence, the explanations include:

• Natural translations into English

• Word-by-word meanings

• Parts of speech

• Sentence structure and usage

Vietnamese love expressions are highly sensitive to personal pronouns (such as anh and em) and word order, which strongly affect nuance and emotional distance. Through this study, learners can move beyond memorization and gain the ability to express love naturally, appropriately, and sincerely, depending on the relationship.

This collection is ideal for learners who want to communicate their feelings more deeply and accurately in Vietnamese—whether in conversations, messages, confessions, or heartfelt expressions of love.

    Course Image

    Greetings

    In this material, we have studied 100 commonly used Vietnamese greeting expressions used in everyday conversation. These include greetings for meeting, parting, caring, welcoming, and wishing well, such as “Hello,” “How are you?”, “Nice to meet you,” and “Have a nice day.”

    For each sentence, we provided:

    • Natural translations in English

    • Word-by-word explanations with meanings and parts of speech

    • Sentence structure analysis

    • Usage notes, including politeness and context

    One important feature of Vietnamese greetings is their strong connection to age, social roles, and relationships. This material is designed not only to help learners memorize phrases, but also to understand why a certain expression is used and when it is appropriate.

    Whether you are a beginner or a learner aiming to sound natural and polite, this collection serves as a practical and reliable guide to mastering Vietnamese greetings in real-life situations.

    Course Image

    Love

    In this material, we studied 100 Vietnamese sentences focused on romantic expressions.

    The phrases cover a wide range of real-life usage, from greetings and caring words to expressions of affection, deep love, emotional support, and promises for the future.

    For each sentence, the explanations include:

    • Natural translations into English

    • Word-by-word meanings

    • Parts of speech

    • Sentence structure and usage

    Vietnamese love expressions are highly sensitive to personal pronouns (such as anh and em) and word order, which strongly affect nuance and emotional distance. Through this study, learners can move beyond memorization and gain the ability to express love naturally, appropriately, and sincerely, depending on the relationship.

    This collection is ideal for learners who want to communicate their feelings more deeply and accurately in Vietnamese—whether in conversations, messages, confessions, or heartfelt expressions of love.

      Course Image

      Greetings

      In this material, we have studied 100 commonly used Vietnamese greeting expressions used in everyday conversation. These include greetings for meeting, parting, caring, welcoming, and wishing well, such as “Hello,” “How are you?”, “Nice to meet you,” and “Have a nice day.”

      For each sentence, we provided:

      • Natural translations in English

      • Word-by-word explanations with meanings and parts of speech

      • Sentence structure analysis

      • Usage notes, including politeness and context

      One important feature of Vietnamese greetings is their strong connection to age, social roles, and relationships. This material is designed not only to help learners memorize phrases, but also to understand why a certain expression is used and when it is appropriate.

      Whether you are a beginner or a learner aiming to sound natural and polite, this collection serves as a practical and reliable guide to mastering Vietnamese greetings in real-life situations.

      Course Image

      Love

      In this material, we studied 100 Vietnamese sentences focused on romantic expressions.

      The phrases cover a wide range of real-life usage, from greetings and caring words to expressions of affection, deep love, emotional support, and promises for the future.

      For each sentence, the explanations include:

      • Natural translations into English

      • Word-by-word meanings

      • Parts of speech

      • Sentence structure and usage

      Vietnamese love expressions are highly sensitive to personal pronouns (such as anh and em) and word order, which strongly affect nuance and emotional distance. Through this study, learners can move beyond memorization and gain the ability to express love naturally, appropriately, and sincerely, depending on the relationship.

      This collection is ideal for learners who want to communicate their feelings more deeply and accurately in Vietnamese—whether in conversations, messages, confessions, or heartfelt expressions of love.