The Vietnamese alphabet, known as the Latin-based Vietnamese script, consists of 29 letters including both vowels and consonants. The letters have diacritical marks called “accent marks” that indicate tone variations and modify the pronunciation of the associated letter.
The Vietnamese alphabet, also known as the Latin-based Vietnamese script, is the writing system used to represent the Vietnamese language. It consists of 29 letters, which include both vowels and consonants. Each letter can be modified with diacritical marks, commonly known as “accent marks,” to indicate tone variations and modify the pronunciation of the associated letter.
Here is a breakdown of the Vietnamese alphabet, including the pronunciation of each letter and its diacritical marks:
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Vowels:
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A: pronounced as “ah” (no diacritical marks).
- Ă: pronounced as “uh” (breve diacritic).
- Â: pronounced as “a” (circumflex diacritic).
- E: pronounced as “eh” (no diacritical marks).
- Ê: pronounced as “ee” (circumflex diacritic).
- I: pronounced as “ee” (no diacritical marks).
- O: pronounced as “oh” (no diacritical marks).
- Ô: pronounced as “aw” (circumflex diacritic).
- Ơ: pronounced as “uh” (horn diacritic).
- U: pronounced as “oo” (no diacritical marks).
- Ư: pronounced as “ew” (horn diacritic).
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Y: pronounced as “ee” (no diacritical marks).
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Consonants:
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B, C, D, Đ, G, H, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S, T, V, and X: pronounced as in English.
- F, J, W, and Z: letters that are only used in loanwords.
The Vietnamese alphabet provides a unique way to represent the Vietnamese language, emphasizing the importance of tones. Vietnamese tones are indicated by the accent marks placed above or below certain letters. For example, the accent marks can differentiate between words such as “má” (mother) and “mà” (but). This aspect of the Vietnamese alphabet makes it distinctive and fascinating.
To quote linguist Nguyễn Phú Phong, “The Vietnamese alphabet is a reflection of the Vietnamese people’s adaptability and creativity, allowing for the precise representation of the complex tones of the language.”
Interesting facts about the Vietnamese alphabet and language:
- Vietnamese is a tonal language with six different tones, indicated by the accent marks in the alphabet.
- The Vietnamese alphabet was introduced by French missionaries in the 17th century, who adapted the Latin script for the language.
- The alphabet has undergone several reforms throughout history to improve its efficiency and accuracy.
- The Vietnamese alphabet does not use the letters F, J, W, and Z in native words.
- While originally based on the Latin script, Vietnamese has also been historically written in Chinese characters (Hán-Nôm) and a variant of the Chữ Nôm script, which used a combination of Chinese characters and modified characters.
- The use of phonetic symbols and accents in the Vietnamese alphabet allows for more precise pronunciation guidance, easing the learning process for non-native speakers.
Here is a table showcasing the Vietnamese alphabet with their respective diacritical marks:
Letters | No Diacritical Marks | Diacritical Marks |
---|---|---|
A | A | |
Ă | Ă | |
 |  | |
E | E | |
Ê | Ê | |
I | I | |
O | O | |
Ô | Ô | |
Ơ | Ơ | |
U | U | |
Ư | Ư | |
Y | Y |
In conclusion, the Vietnamese alphabet is a fascinating system that combines 29 letters with diacritical marks to represent the sounds and tones of the Vietnamese language. Its unique design and emphasis on tones make it an essential component of Vietnamese culture and language.
Video answer to “What does the Vietnamese alphabet look like?”
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What letters are in the Vietnamese alphabet?
Response will be: a, ă, â, b, c, d, đ, e, ê, g, h, i, k, l, m, n, o, ô, ơ, p, q, r, s, t, u, ư, v, x, y. How many letters are there? It’s 26 (size of the English alphabet) – 4 (f, j, w, z) + 1 (đ) + 6 (the “variations” in the above table) = 29 letters!
Is Vietnamese alphabet same as English? Response to this: If you’ve just started learning Vietnamese, then the alphabet can look a bit challenging. Sure, it’s based on the same Latin alphabet that we use in English, but it has some additions, like đ and ơ.
Also question is, How many letters are in Vietnamese alphabet? Response will be: 29 letters
The Vietnamese alphabet contains 29 letters, including seven letters using four diacritics: ă, â/ê/ô, ơ/ư, đ. There are an additional five diacritics used to designate tone (as in à, á, ả, ã, and ạ).
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Thereof, What is the letter J in Vietnamese? The F, J, W, Z are not used in native Vietnamese words. Only loanwords borrowed from other languages use these letters.
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