The Guide to Learning Thai Tones
Every language has its challenges for new learners. For German, it can be those words that seem to stretch on forever. For Danish, it’s those pesky vowels – nearly three dozen in all.
And for Thai, it’s all about tones. Here’s a prime example:
H̄āk khûn khey kạb thon s̄eīyng p̣hās̄ʹā thịy k̆ ca s̄āmārt̄h phūd p̣hās̄ʹā thịy dị̂ dī k̄hụ̂n. In Thai script, that’s หากคุ้นเคยกับโทนเสียงภาษาไทยก็จะสามารถพูดภาษาไทยได้ดีขึ้น
In keeping with the theme of this article, that sentence translates as, “Become familiar with Thai tones, and you’ll be able to speak the language better.”
Note the first (Latin alphabet) iteration of that sentence. You’ll see some words that look similar or even identical. That’s the perplexing thing about Thai tones. The language has a bountiful array of words that are spelled exactly or almost exactly the same, but because of the tones in the Thai language, they’re actually different!
If you’re interested in learning Thai, you probably have a few questions. What are the main Thai language tone rules? How many tones are in Thai? How do Thai tone rules impact pronunciation? And plenty more…but don’t worry, with Pimsleur in your corner, we’ll help you navigate tones in the Thai language.
Emotional Intelligence: Why do Tones in the Thai Language Matter?
Tones impact pronunciation, and pronunciation is arguably the most important thing to master to speak a language conversationally. Sometimes, speaking with the correct pace and pronunciation involves showing a bit of emotional emphasis for particular words and phrases.
Thai tone rules shape the emotional expression of language, especially for native speakers. Because Thai is a tonal language, even a tiny shift in pitch, emphasis, or pronunciation of a single particle (a small word that adds tone, mood, or politeness) can completely alter a word’s meaning. All tonal languages require the skillful, adept manipulation of particle tones to add that extra emotional pizazz to the language.
Tones in the Thai language are pronounced better if you keep the emotional aspect in mind – in other words, what is the sentence saying? Do certain words (or even parts of a word) require extra emphasis or stress? The best way to master tones in the Thai language is to listen to native speakers, see which words require extra tonal attention, and follow suit accordingly.
That’s why the Pimsleur Method™ is so critical in helping you speak the right way. We’ll emphasize the critical skills of speaking and listening to help you nail down the correct tonal accent to convey meaning. Let’s examine the five Thai tones for more context.
The Five Thai Tones Explained
So, how many tones are in the Thai language? Just five – but given the emotional weight to certain words discussed above, there are combinations within sentences and words that can make learning Thai challenging. For example, you can have all five Thai tones in one short sentence. And a lengthy, detailed conversation that contains dozens of situations can really test your knowledge of Thai language tone rules.
Here are a handful of Thai tones to be aware of.
Mid tone
Accent mark: none
Thai tone name: สามัญ (sǎa-man)
Tone pronunciation: This is one of the “easier” Thai tone rules for new speakers to learn. The mid tone/syllable is pronounced evenly, with a steady tone that subtly drops at the end.
Low tone
Accent mark: `
Thai tone name: เอก (èek)
Tone pronunciation: You begin a low tone a bit lower than your regular voice, and keep going down in tone toward the end of the word. It’s sometimes designated as the “down” category of all the Thai tones.
Falling tone
Accent mark: ˆ
Thai tone name: โทv (thoo)
Tone pronunciation: One of the more challenging of all the Thai tone rules. The falling tone demands you start out with a higher tone at the beginning of the word, go even higher, then fall to a lower tone at the end of the word. Also known as the “up and down” tone.
High tone
Accent mark: ´
Thai tone name: ตรี (dtrii)
Tone pronunciation: Another challenging tone in the Thai language. The syllable begins slightly higher than a mid tone, and rises even higher toward the end of the syllable. This tone provides a constant “stressed” high accent.
Rising tone
Accent mark: ˘
Thai tone name: จัตวา (jàt-dtà-waa)
Tone pronunciation: Think of this as the opposite of the falling tone, โทv (thoo). The syllables begin in an even mid tone, go lower, then finish with a higher tone at the end. In Thai language tone rules, this one is also known as the “down and up” tone.
Tone Recognition Techniques: Tips for Mastering Thai Tones
You have to practice tones in the Thai language to speak them correctly. As with all tonal languages, this is critical in speaking conversational Thai. Start with basic words and phrases, and as your confidence grows, you can delve into more challenging grammatical exercises. Here are a few ways you can get more comfortable with Thai tones:
- Practice makes perfect. Thai tone rules are complex, but consistent practice brings everything into focus. And don’t concentrate only on speaking Thai tones – it helps to listen to expert Thai speakers as well!
- Examine the emotion. As we mentioned above, adding the extra emotional panache is everything with Thai language tone rules. As you listen to Thai, pay attention to the emotion expressed with each tone. The more you can recognize the emotional associations of the tones, the better you’ll be able to convey the appropriate emotion in your speech.
- Get expert help. Pimsleur’s Thai subscription puts innovative, user-friendly audio language instruction and helpful, interactive modules at your fingertips. 30 lessons in all – that’s approximately 15 hours of high-quality instruction – will help you master all the tones in the Thai language.
If you’re ready to learn about this fascinating language, we’re here to help! Get started with our Thai course and you’ll be speaking Thai (correct tones and all) in no time!