Sounds and tones · Lesson 2 of 11

Tones 2: falling and high

Hear and say the falling and high tones, and stop mixing up châi (yes) and chái (use).

Practise this lesson Free · no sign-up needed Open the tone trainer

How it works

Two more tones, and both of them move.

Falling

It starts high and drops clearly, like an emphatic English "No!" or "Wow!". Start above your normal high pitch so the fall is big:

ไม่mâi not
ใช่châi yes, that's right
บ้านbâan house
ข้าวkâao rice

High

High and level or gently rising, with a little tension, like an excited "Hi!". Keep it up there; don't let it fall at the end:

ม้าmáa horse
น้ำnáam water
รู้rúu know
รถrót car

Why they matter

Some of the most frequent words in Thai carry these tones: ไม่mâi (not), ได้dâi (can), ที่tîi (at), แล้วláew (already), and the polite particles ค่ะkâ and คะká. You'll use them in almost every sentence.

Pairs that trip people up

ใช่châi (yes) and ใช้chái (use)
ไม่mâi (not) and ไม้máai (wood)
ค่ะkâ and คะká, the women's polite particles for statements and questions

Hand signs

falling: from above your head down to your chest
high: hand up high, and hold it

Practise each one against the mid tone: ชาchaa (tea) and ช้าcháa (slow); ปาbpaa (throw) and ป้าbpâa (aunt).

Typical mistake: a lazy falling tone that only drops a little, which sounds like mid. Exaggerate it; Thai speakers really do make it big.

Listen and repeat

Say each word out loud after the audio. Watch the accent in the romanization: it tells you the tone.

ไม่ mâi
not, no
ใช่ châi
yes, that's right
บ้าน bâan
house, home
ข้าว kâao
rice; food
ได้ dâi
can; get
ที่ tîi
at; place
แม่ mâe
mother
ม้า máa
horse
น้ำ náam
water
ร้อน ráwn
hot
รู้ rúu
know
ใช้ chái
use
รถ rót
car
นะ ná
(softening particle)

Minimal pairs

Words that differ in just one sound. Listen to each set until you can hear the difference, then say them.

mid vs falling

ปา bpaa
throw

mid

ป้า bpâa
aunt; auntie

falling
mid vs falling

บาน baan
bloom

mid

บ้าน bâan
house

falling
mid vs falling

คา kaa
stuck

mid

ค่า kâa
value; fee

falling
mid vs falling

นา naa
rice field

mid

น่า nâa
worth (doing); -able, as in nâa-rák, cute

falling
mid vs high

ชา chaa
tea

mid

ช้า cháa
slow

high
mid vs high

มา maa
come

mid

ม้า máa
horse

high
mid vs high

รู ruu
hole

mid

รู้ rúu
know

high
mid vs high

นา naa
rice field

mid

น้า náa
aunt or uncle (mum's younger sibling)

high
falling vs high

ใช่ châi
yes

falling

ใช้ chái
use

high
falling vs high

ค่ะ kâ
(women's polite particle: statements)

falling

คะ ká
(women's polite particle: questions)

high
falling vs high

ค่า kâa
value; fee

falling

ค้า káa
trade

high

Tone by tone

The words from this lesson's tone drill, sorted by tone. In the app you hear them in random order and pick the tone.

mid

no mark

ชา chaa
tea

low

ป่า bpàa
forest

falling

ไม่ mâi
not
ใช่ châi
yes
บ้าน bâan
house
ข้าว kâao
rice
ได้ dâi
can
ที่ tîi
at; place

high

ม้า máa
horse
น้ำ náam
water
ร้อน ráwn
hot
รู้ rúu
know
ใช้ chái
use
ช้า cháa
slow

New to tones? Start with the five Thai tones explained, then learn how spelling tells you the tone in the tone rules chart.