Consonants
Tap to Listen
Click on the consonants below and listen to their names. Keep clicking until you believe you can recognize the name of each consonant shown.
Pronunciation Notes
Thai consonant names have a consistent two-part structure:
- The sound of the consonant followed by the long ‘aw’ sound, like in the English word “law” and “saw”.
- A common Thai word that starts with that consonant.
For example, the name for ก is “กอ ไก่” (`kɔɔ kày`), where `kɔɔ` is the sound part and `kày` (meaning chicken) is the example word.
Notes on the Consonants in this Lesson:
- ก (k): This is an unaspirated ‘k’. It sounds like the ‘k’ in “skate” or “skip,” not the ‘k’ in “kite.”
(An “unaspirated” sound has no puff of air. Hold your hand in front of your mouth: you feel a puff of air for “kite,” but not for “skate.”) - ต (t): This is an unaspirated ‘t’. It sounds like the ‘t’ in “stop” or “star,” not the ‘t’ in “top.”
(Like with ก, there is no puff of air.) - น (n) & ม (m): These sound essentially identical to the ‘n’ and ‘m’ sounds in English.
- อ (ʔ): This is the glottal stop. English speakers use this sound all the time—it’s the little catch in your throat in the middle of saying ”uh-oh!”. In Thai, all syllables start with a consonant. If a syllable sounds like it starts with a vowel, it probably starts with the glottal stop consonant อ.
Listen then Tap
Click the 🔊 button to hear a consonant’s name, then find the correct consonant.
When you can consistently identify the correct answer on your first or second guess, you’re ready to move on.
Tap Then Say
Click on the consonants below and repeat the sound you hear. Repeat until you feel comfortable making each consonant sound.
Say Then Tap
Now we’re going to turn it around. Try to say the sound of the consonant before clicking on it.
Are you getting the sound right most of the time? If so, you’re ready to move on!