Thai Consunants

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Consonants

In the Thai languageThere are 44 consonants which are grouped into three different classes. High, middle and Low. It is important to remember which class each consonant belongs to as that will determine which tone to use. However, don't make the misstake in thinking that consonants in the low class have only low tones.

Each letter is named after something. For example, Gor Gai. "Gor" is the sound that letter makes and "Gai" is a chicken. You will see that a lot of letters have the same sound so in the end you will only have to learn 21 sounds. However, some letters change their sound when they come at the end of a word. In total there are only eight final sounds. There are also some letters which we do not use much.

ก ข ฃ ค ฅ

Gor Gai Kor Kai Khor khuad Kor kwaai Kor Khon

ฆ ง จ ฉ ช

Kor ra kang Ngor ngoo Jor jaan Chor ching Chor Chaang

ซ ฌ ญ ฎ ฏ

Sor so Chor cher Yor ying Dor cha daa Tor pa tuk

ฐ ฑ ฒ ณ ด

Thor Tharn Thor nang montho Thor phoo thao Nor nayn Dor dek

ต ถ ท ธ น

Tor tao Thor thoong Tor thaharn Thor thohng Nor nhoo

บ ป ผ ฝ พ

Bor bai mai Por plaa Phor pheung Fhor fhaa Phor phaan

ฟ ภ ม ย ร

For fun Phor samphao Mor maa Yor yuk Ror rua

ล ว ศ ษ ส

Lor ling Wor whaen Sor saalaa Sor reu-see Sor sua

ห ฬ อ ฮ

Hor heep Lor chulaa Or aang Hor nok hoog

There are 11 high class consonants. Three tones are possible (low, falling and rising) and two of the tone marks (mai eak and mai toh) can be used.
There are nine middle class consonants. All five tones are possible and all four tone marks can be used. There are 24 low class consonants. All five tones are possible and two of the tone marks (mai eak and mai toh) can be used.

Classes :
High class : ข ฃ ฉ ฐ ถ ผ ฝ ศ ษ ส ห
Middle class : ก จ ฎ ฏ ด ต บ ป อ
Low class : ค ฅ ฆ ง ช ซ ฌ ญ ฑ ฒ ณ ท ธ น พ ฟ ภ ม ย ร ล ว ฬ ฮ

Initial sounds :

Sound	Pronounce	Letters
กอ	Gor	ก
คอ	Kor	ข ฃ ค ฅ ฆ
งอ	Ngor	ง
จอ	Jor	จ
ชอ	Chor	ฉ ช ฌ
ซอ	Sor	ซ ศ ษ ส
ดอ	Dor	ด ฎ
ตอ	Dtor	ต ฏ
ทอ	Tor	ฐ ถ ฑ ฒ ท ธ
นอ	Nor	ณ น
บอ	Bor	บ
ปอ	Bpor	ป
พอ	Por	ผ พ ภ
ฟอ	For	ฝ ฟ
มอ	Mor	ม
ยอ	Yor	ญ ย
รอ	Ror	ร
ลอ	Lor	ล ฬ
วอ	Wor	ว
ออ	Or	อ
ฺฮอ	Hor	ห ฮ

Sonorant Finals : ง (ng) น (n) ม (m) ย (y) ว (w)

If you touch your Adam's apple (larynx) while you say Thai syllables with these consonants at the end you will feel a vibration.
น ณ ร ล ฬ ญ are represented by a "n" when they come at the end.
ิอ is represented by a "o" when it comes at the end.
ง is represented by a "ng" when it comes at the end.
ม is represented by a "m" when it comes at the end.
ย ว are represented by a "i" when they come at the end.

Stop Finals : ก ด บ

The three consonants below are the main Stop Finals and represent k, t and p in Roman letters. They are called Stop Finals because they are unvoiced when they come at the end of a syllable. Notice how the consonants change their sound.
ก ข ฅ ฆ are represented by a "k" when they come at the end.
ด จ ช ด ฎ ต ฏ ฐ ถ ท ธ ฒ ส ศ ษ are represented by a "t" when they come at the end.
บ ป พ ภ ฟ are represented by a "p" when they come at the end.