Consonants: single and digraphs (ch, gh, gi, kh, ng, ngh, nh, ph, qu, th, tr)
Can pronounce Vietnamese consonants and digraphs including word-initial NG and the D/Đ distinction
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Phở rất ngon!
Pho is very delicious!
Nhà bạn ở đâu?
Where is your house?
Không, cảm ơn.
No, thank you.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
Vietnamese consonants include 17 single consonants and 11 digraphs (two-letter combinations). Several look familiar but sound very different from English!
| Consonant | Sound (North) | Sound (South) | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| b | /ɓ/ implosive b | /ɓ/ | ba (three/dad) |
| c | /k/ | /k/ | cá (fish) |
| d | /z/ | /j/ (y) | da (skin) |
| đ | /d/ | /d/ | đi (go) |
| g/gh | /ɣ/ | /ɣ/ | gà (chicken) |
| gi | /z/ | /j/ (y) | giá (price) |
| h | /h/ | /h/ | học (study) |
| kh | /x/ | /kh/ | không (no) |
| ng/ngh | /ŋ/ | /ŋ/ | ngon (delicious) |
| nh | /ɲ/ | /ɲ/ | nhà (house) |
| ph | /f/ | /f/ | phở (pho soup) |
| qu | /kw/ | /w/ | quốc (nation) |
| r | /z/ | /r/ | ra (out) |
| th | /tʰ/ | /tʰ/ | thích (like) |
| tr | /ʈ/ retroflex | /ʈ/ | trời (sky/heaven) |
North vs South differences: The biggest variations are D/GI/R — in the North they all sound like /z/, in the South D/GI sound like /j/ and R is a real /r/. This is the most distinctive accent difference!
Initial NG: Vietnamese words can START with /ŋ/ (ng-): ngon (delicious), người (person). This sound exists in English 'siNG' but never at the start of a word — very tricky!
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises
Practice ExercisesCannot produce word-initial /ŋ/ (ng-)
Practice: say 'singing' → hold the final 'ng' → now start a word with it: 'ng-on' (delicious). Start slowly.
Pronounced PH as aspirated P instead of /f/
Vietnamese PH = /f/ (like English 'fun'). Phở = fuh, not p-huh.
Phở rất ngon!
Pho is very delicious!
PH = /f/ (not 'p-h'!), NG at the start of ngon — practice saying 'sing on' and removing the 'si-'.
Nhà bạn ở đâu?
Where is your house?
NH = /ɲ/ like Spanish ñ or Italian gn. So nhà sounds like 'nyah' (with huyền tone).
Không, cảm ơn.
No, thank you.
KH = /x/ like German 'ach' or Scottish 'loch'. Không is the most important Vietnamese word — it means 'no' and negates verbs!
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises