Thai is a tonal language: the same syllable said with a different pitch is a completely different word. The classic example is "mai" โ which can mean new, wood, burn, not, or silk depending on the tone. Here are the five tones with examples.
| Thai | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Mid Tone โ | sวa-man | Flat pitch in the middle of your rangeLike speaking in a monotone - no rise or fall |
| Low Tone โ | รจek | Flat pitch at a low levelDrop your voice down and hold it steady |
| Falling Tone โ | thoo | Start high, fall downLike saying 'oh no!' - starts up, drops down |
| High Tone โ | dtrii | Flat pitch at a high levelRaise your voice up and hold it steady |
| Rising Tone โ | jร t-dtร -waa | Start low, rise upLike asking a surprised question - 'really?' |
Thai has 5 tones. The SAME syllable with different tones = different words!
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