Southern Vietnamese Vowels
Vowels are largely the same in the South as in the North — the same single vowels and gliding vowels appear, with only minor differences in colour. The pronunciation guides below are shared with the Northern vowel page.
a
Like the a in 'father' — a long, open 'ah'.
ă
Like the a in 'father', but very short and clipped.
â
Like the u in 'cup' — a short 'uh'.
e
Like the e in 'bed'.
ê
Like the e in 'they', but pure — without the 'y' glide at the end.
i
Like the ee in 'see'.
o
Like the aw in 'saw' (or the o in 'hot').
ô
Like the o in 'go', but pure — without the 'w' glide at the end.
ơ
Like the ir in 'bird' (without pronouncing the r).
u
Like the oo in 'food'.
ư
No English equivalent: say the oo in 'food', but pull your lips back flat instead of rounding them.
iê / ia
A glide from 'ee' to 'uh', like saying 'ee-yuh' quickly.
uô / ua
A glide from 'oo' to 'uh', like 'oo-uh'.
ươ / ưa
A glide from the lips-back 'ư' toward 'uh'.
ai / ay
A vowel gliding to a 'y', like the 'igh' in 'high'.
ây
A short 'uh' (as in 'cup') gliding to a 'y', like 'uh-y'.
oi
An 'aw' (as in 'saw') gliding to a 'y', like the 'oy' in 'boy'.
ôi
An 'oh' (as in 'go') gliding to a 'y', like 'oh-y'.
ơi
The 'ir' in 'bird' (no r) gliding to a 'y'.
ui
An 'oo' (as in 'food') gliding to a 'y', like 'oo-y'.
ưi
The lips-back 'ư' gliding to a 'y'.
ao / au
A vowel gliding to a 'w', like the 'ow' in 'how'.
âu
A short 'uh' (as in 'cup') gliding to a 'w', like 'uh-w'.
eo
An 'eh' (as in 'bed') gliding to a 'w', like 'eh-w'.
êu
An 'ay' (as in 'they') gliding to a 'w', like 'ay-w'.
iu
An 'ee' (as in 'see') gliding to a 'w', like 'ew'.
ưu
The lips-back 'ư' gliding to a 'w'.
uôi
The 'oo-uh' glide finished with a 'y', like 'oo-oy'.
ươi
The lips-back 'ươ' glide finished with a 'y'.
iêu
The 'ee-uh' glide finished with a 'w', like 'ee-yoo'.