Consonants
|
IPA |
Lao |
Isan |
Phu Thai |
English approximation
|
b
|
ບ |
บ |
บ |
boss
|
d
|
ດ |
ฎ,ด |
ฎ,ด |
done
|
f
|
ຝ,ຟ |
ฝ,ฟ |
ฝ,ฟ |
food
|
h
|
ຫ,ຮ |
ห,ฮ |
ห,ฮ |
head
|
j
|
ຢ |
ย,อย,หย |
ย,อย,หย |
yak
|
k
|
ກ |
ก |
ก |
scan
|
kʰ
|
ຂ,ຄ |
ข,ฃ,ค,ฅ,ฆ |
ข,ฃ,ค,ฅ,ฆ |
can
|
l
|
ລ,ຫຼ |
ล,ฬ,หล |
ร,หร,ล,ฬ,หล |
law
|
m
|
ມ,ໝ |
ม,หม |
ม,หม |
much
|
n
|
ນ,ໜ |
ณ,น,หน |
ณ,น,หน |
not
|
ŋ
|
ງ,ຫງ |
ง,หง |
ง,หง |
singer
|
ɲ
|
ຍ,ຫຍ |
ญ |
ญ |
canyon
|
p
|
ປ |
ป |
ป |
span
|
pʰ
|
ຜ,ພ |
ผ,พ,ภ |
ผ,พ,ภ |
pan
|
r[1]
|
ຣ,ຫຼ,ຫຣ |
ร,หร |
— |
trilled r
|
ɾ
|
— |
ร,หร |
— |
atom
|
s
|
ສ,ຊ |
ฉ,ช,ฌ ,ซ,ศ,ษ,ส |
ฉ,ช,ฌ ,ซ,ศ,ษ,ส |
sue
|
t
|
ຕ |
ฏ,ต |
ฏ,ต |
stable
|
tʰ
|
ຖ,ທ |
ฐ,ฑ,ฒ,ถ,ท,ธ |
ฐ,ฑ,ฒ,ถ,ท,ธ |
table
|
tɕ
|
ຈ |
จ |
จ |
somewhat like jean; like Mandarin beijing
|
tɕʰ[2]
|
— |
ฉ,ช,ฌ |
— |
somewhat like cheese; like Mandarin qing
|
w
|
ວ,ຫວ |
ว,หว |
ว,หว |
way
|
ʔ
|
ອ |
อ, ะ |
อ, ะ |
the catch in uh'-oh
|
|
Tone[3]
|
IPA |
Description
|
aː = āː
|
mid [aː˧]
|
àː
|
low [aː˨˩] or [aː˩]
|
âː
|
high falling [aː˥˧]
|
a̭ː
|
low falling [aː˧˩]
|
áː
|
high [aː˦˥] or [aː˥]
|
ǎː
|
rising [aː˩˩˦] or [aː˩˦]
|
|
Vowels
|
IPA |
Lao[4] |
Isan/Phu Thai |
English approximation
|
Short vowels[5]
|
a
|
◌ະ, ◌ັ◌ |
◌ะ, ◌ั◌ |
cut
|
e
|
ເ◌ະ, ເ◌ັ◌ |
เ◌ะ, เ◌็◌ |
mate
|
ɛ
|
ແ◌ະ, ແ◌ັ◌ |
แ◌ะ, แ◌็◌ |
bat
|
i
|
◌ິ |
◌ิ, ◌ิ◌ |
happy
|
o
|
ໂ◌ະ, ◌ົ◌ |
โ◌ะ, ◌◌ |
boat
|
ɔ
|
ເ◌າະ, ◌ັອ◌ |
เ◌าะ, ◌็อ◌ |
jock (RP)
|
u
|
◌ຸ |
◌ุ, ◌ุ◌ |
shoot
|
ɯ
|
◌ຶ |
◌ึ, ◌ึ◌ |
could (weak sound)
|
ɤ
|
ເ◌ິະ[6], ເ◌ິ◌ |
เ◌อะ |
the
|
Long vowels
|
aː
|
◌າ |
◌า, ◌า◌ |
bra
|
eː
|
ເ◌ |
เ◌, เ◌◌ |
play
|
ɛː
|
ແ◌ |
แ◌, แ◌◌ |
man
|
iː
|
◌ີ |
◌ี, ◌ี◌ |
green
|
oː
|
ໂ◌ |
โ◌, โ◌◌ |
go
|
ɔː
|
◌ໍ, ◌ອ◌ |
◌อ, ◌อ◌ |
dog
|
uː
|
◌ູ |
◌ู, ◌ู◌ |
moon
|
ɯː
|
◌ື |
◌ือ, ◌ื◌ |
goose (Australian)
|
ɤː
|
ເ◌ີ |
เ◌อ, เ◌ิ◌ |
fur
|
Diphthongs[7][8]
|
iaʔ, iəʔ
|
ເ◌ັຍ, ◌ັຽ◌ |
เ◌ียะ |
idea (shorter)
|
ia, iə
|
ເ◌ຍ, ◌ຽ◌ |
เ◌ีย, เ◌ีย◌ |
idea
|
uaʔ, uəʔ
|
◌ົວະ, ◌ົວ◌ |
◌ัวะ |
poor (shorter)
|
ua, uə
|
◌ົວ, ◌ວ◌ |
◌ัว, ◌ว◌ |
poor (British English)
|
ɯaʔ, ɯəʔ
|
ເ◌ຶອ |
เ◌ือะ |
to a (weak sound)
|
ɯa, ɯə
|
ເ◌ືອ |
เ◌ือ, เ◌ือ◌ |
who am i (Australian)
|
|