Long and short vowels

Thai vowels come in short and long versions, and the difference changes the word: เข้าkâo (enter) and ข้าวkâao (rice) differ only in length.

How long is long?

Roughly twice as long. Hold the long vowels and cut the short ones off; when a short vowel ends a syllable, stop it with a little catch in your throat.

Length in our romanization

• doubled letters are long: aa, ii, uu, uue, ee, oo
• ae, aw and oe don't show length, and neither do ia, uea and ua, so learn those by ear

Pairs to practise

• เขาkǎo he, she and ขาวkǎao white
• คุณkun you and คูณkuun multiply
• สดsòt fresh and โสดsòot single (not married)
• ในnai in and นายnaai Mr., boss

Length can change the tone

For low-class letters in dead syllables, length decides the tone: short is high, long is falling. เล็กlék (small) and เลขlêek (number).

Spelled short, said long

A few common words are said with a long vowel although the spelling looks short: น้ำnáam (water), เก้าgâao (nine), เช้าcháao (morning), ไม้máai (wood). Our romanization writes what you hear.

A Chiang Mai bonus

In the North กาดgàat means market, as in กาดหลวงgàat-lǔang, the big central market. Don't turn it into กัดgàt (bite).

Typical mistake: making every vowel medium length, the way English does. Exaggerate at first: really hold the long ones and really clip the short ones.