K t names of the written symbols (transcribed in IPA International Phonetic Alphabet): The 29

letters in the alphabet have their own names: a [A] [] [F] b [be] c [se] d [je,ze] [de] e [E] g [Ze]

h [hAt] i [i] k [kA] l [El] m [Em] n [En] o [] [o] [] p [pe] q [ku] r [Er] s [Et] t [te] u [u]
[] v [ve] x [it] y [igrEt] or [ijai].
Transcription in Vietnamese: [a b x d/z e g ht i ca el- em- en- o, p cu er t t u v t i-di or i-c-rt.]
K m sounds of these symbols: a [A] [] [F] b [b] c [k] d [j,z] [d] e [E] [e] g [g] h [h] i
[i] k [k] l [l] m [m] n [n] o [] [o] [] p [p] q [kw] r [z, r, Z, g] s [S,s] t [t] u [u] [] v [v,j] x [s]
y [i].
a. Chnh t - Wowel letters
Vietnamese has a large number of single and compound vowel sounds, chnh m, derived from the
twelve vowel letters, chnh t: a e i o u and y.

Place
Manner
High

Front

Central

Back

i,y [i]

[]

u [u]

Higher mid

[e]

Lower mid

e [E]

Low

a [A]

[o]
[F]

[]

o []

[]

Table 1: Bng chnh t/chnh m Vit the vowel sound chart

These 12 vowel letters comprise a total of 51 -thongs including 11 chnh t monads, 29 nh hp t

dyads, and 12 tam hp t triads. The y is a pseudo-semivowel; it becomes [i] in initial position and [i:y] at
final when preceded by low front a [A], and [i:] by back vowel u [u]. See more details in the
Dyads/Diphthongs Section.
b. n t & n m Monads and their sounds
The monothong, n t/n m, are perfectly phonemic: their names and their sounds are basically
identical:
[i] i, y [e] [E] e [A] a [] [F] [] [] [u] u [o] [] o
Vietnamese has three unfamiliar vowels: [] , [F] , and [] . The [] sounds somehow like the u
in but. The [F] assimilates with an accented schwa a as in ago. And the [] is a grinning oo [u] in
zoo. Say [u] then unround your lips as if you are making a mirthless grin.
c. Nh hp t v nh hp m Dyads/diphthongs
A dyad, nh hp t, is comprised of two vowel letters, one of which is primary, representing a primary
vowel sound, nguyn m, and the other a secondary or semi-sound, bn m. In certain cases a bn m may
become a consonant sound.
When a tonal mark is needed, it is placed either above or under the primary vowel of the dyads.
Vietnamese has 29 dyads: