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Writer's pictureHa Linh Nguyen

Mastering Vietnamese Tones: A Guide to Accurate Pronunciation



Vietnamese is a tonal language, meaning that mastering the correct pronunciation of its tones is essential, as they significantly impact the meaning of words and phrases. The Vietnamese language features six tones, five of which are indicated by tone marks that we will explore today.


  • No Tone (Thanh Ngang/Không Dấu): doesn’t have a tone mark

  • Down Tone (Dấu Huyền): the tone mark for the low falling tone is ” ” (dấu huyền)

  • Up Tone (Dấu Sắc): the tone mark for this tone is “/” (dấu sắc)

  • The Hook (Dấu Hỏi): the low rising tone has a tone mark that looks like a question mark without a dot called “dấu hỏi”

  • High Broken Tone (Dấu Ngã): the tone mark for the high broken tone is “~”

  • The Dot (Dấu Nặng): the heavy tone has the tone mark as a dot “.” we add it under the vowels



What Are The Six Vietnamese Tones?

Tonal languages vary in the number of tones they use. For instance, Thai has five tones, and Vietnamese, on the other hand, has six distinct tones that are essential to learn and master when studying the language.


1. No Tone (Thanh Ngang/Không Dấu)

The mid-level tone in Vietnamese, known as thanh ngang or không dấu, is pronounced with a flat and steady voice. Avoid raising or lowering your pitch while articulating this tone.


2. Down Tone (Dấu Huyền)

The low falling tone, called thanh huyền in Vietnamese, is pronounced by lowering your voice. It’s similar to the sound “Uhm” in English, often used when agreeing with someone.


3. Up Tone (Dấu Sắc)

Known as thanh sắc in Vietnamese, the high rising tone requires you to quickly raise your pitch. This tone is marked with a “/” (dấu sắc), as seen in the word sắc.


4. Low Rising Tone (Thanh Hỏi)

The low rising tone, or thanh hỏi, begins with a lowered pitch like thanh huyền and then rises at the end of the word. This tone is marked with dấu hỏi, which looks like a question mark without a dot, as in the word hỏi.


5. High Broken Tone (Thanh Ngã)

The high broken tone, thanh ngã, is one of the most challenging tones for Vietnamese learners. To pronounce it, start by raising your voice like thanh sắc (high rising tone), but abruptly stop or “break” the sound at the end. It’s akin to speaking in a high tone and suddenly being interrupted—like being punched in the stomach mid-sentence! Interestingly, this tone can also be tricky for native speakers in central and southern Vietnam.


6. The Dot (Dấu Nặng)

As the name suggests, the heavy tone, or thanh nặng, is pronounced with a deep, low, and forceful voice. Its tone mark is a dot (“.”), placed beneath the vowels.


Why Are Vietnamese Tones Important To Learn?

Vietnamese tones are vital because they can completely change the meaning of a word. As a tonal language, Vietnamese relies heavily on its six tones for accurate pronunciation.

While building your vocabulary is a gradual process, it’s important to focus on pronouncing words and phrases clearly and correctly. Mispronunciation can make it difficult for native speakers to understand you.


For instance, dưa, dừa, and dứa are the names of three different fruits: watermelon, coconut, and pineapple. If you want to order pineapple juice but mispronounce dứa, you might end up with coconut or watermelon juice instead!



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Don't let mispronunciation hold you back! Say what you mean with confidence—no more ordering watermelon juice when you really want pineapple!


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