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BeginnerUnit 112 min
The six tones
Why “ma” can be a ghost, a mother, or a horse
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Vietnamese has six tones, and each one changes the meaning of a word entirely. The good news: they are written right there in the spelling. Learn the marks and you can read them before you can hear them.
01
Vocabulary
ma
Say it like · mah (flat)
ghost
má
Say it like · mah (rising)
mother (Southern)
mà
Say it like · mah (falling)
but / which
mả
Say it like · mah (dipping)
tomb
mã
Say it like · mah (creaky rising)
code / horse
mạ
Say it like · mah (heavy, short)
rice seedling
02
Phrases
Má ơi, con đói.
Mom, I’m hungry.
Southern; a Northern speaker says “mẹ”.
Mà thôi.
Never mind.
The most useful two syllables in the language.
03
Tips
- Hum the tone before you say the word. The pitch is the meaning.
- Southern speakers merge hỏi (ả) and ngã (ã). If your family is from the South, you get five tones for the price of six.