Vietnamese Alphabet: Vowels

Welcome to your first lesson in learning Vietnamese! In this lesson, you'll get to know the 12 core vowels of the Vietnamese alphabet. We'll explore them in simple groups, starting with "a", then moving through "e", "o", and "u", and finishing with "i" and "y". Mastering these vowels is the key to clear pronunciation and a strong foundation in Vietnamese.

Group 1: a, ă, â

Vietnamese has three distinct “a” vowels: a, ă, and â. Each has a different sound and length. Listen to how they differ and watch the mouth movements to understand how each one is pronounced.

a

Long and open
Like “ah” in “father”

Listen Watch

ă

Short and sharp
Like 'a' in "cat" but quicker

Listen Watch

â

Short, soft, and central
Like ‘u’ in “but”

Listen Watch

Use in words

a

Because the sound is long, the consonant after it will sound sharp and short. For example:

ban nam

ă

The sound of this vowel is short, so the consonant after it will have a prolonged sound. For example:

bắt mặt

â

The sound of this vowel is short, so the consonant after it will have a prolonged sound. For example:

cân mất

Practice 1: vowels 'a', 'ă', and 'â'

Group 2: e, ê

Vietnamese has two “e” vowels: e and ê. These are both front vowels, but they differ in openness and pitch. Listen to how each one sounds and watch the shape of the mouth.

e

Open and mid
Like “e” in “bed”

Listen Watch

ê

Closed and higher
Like “ay” in “say” (no glide)

Listen Watch

Use in words

e

A more open front vowel, similar to “e” in “bed”. It appears in words like:

sen kem

ê

A closed and higher-pitched front vowel. Similar to the “ay” in “say” but without the “y” glide. You’ll hear it in words like:

tê kê

Practice 2: vowels 'e', and 'ê'

Group 3: o, ô, ơ

Vietnamese has three rounded vowels in this group: o, ô, and ơ. They vary in how open the mouth is and how rounded the lips become. Listen to each and observe the subtle differences.

o

Open and rounded
Like “o” in “off”

Listen Watch

ô

Closed and rounded
Like “o” in “go”

Listen Watch

ơ

Central and relaxed
Like “uh” with rounded lips

Listen Watch

Use in words

o

More open and rounded. For example:

bò lon

ô

More closed and rounded. For example:

tô bô

ơ

Softer and more central. For example:

chờ mơ

Practice 3: vowels 'o', 'ô', and 'ơ'

Group 4: u, ư

Vietnamese has two back vowels in this group: u and ư. They are both produced with rounded lips, but “ư” is more central and less familiar to English speakers. Listen carefully and watch how the lips and tongue position differ.

u

Back and rounded
Like “oo” in “food”

Listen Watch

ư

Central and tight
Close to “u” with tighter lips

Listen Watch

Use in words

u

Deep and rounded, similar to “oo” in English. For example:

lúc bụi

ư

More central and less rounded, unique to Vietnamese. For example:

tư mực

Practice 4: vowels 'u', and 'ư'

Group 5: i, y

Vietnamese uses both i and y for the same sound — a high front vowel similar to “ee” in “see”. In most cases, these letters are interchangeable and represent the same pronunciation. Their usage depends more on spelling rules than on sound.

i

High and front
Like “ee” in “see”

Listen Watch

y

Same sound as “i”
Used in certain spelling contexts

Listen Watch

Are “i” and “y” interchangeable?

In many cases, yes. Words like “kỹ” and “kĩ”, or “mỹ” and “mĩ” are pronounced the same. Both versions are correct and used in different writing conventions or historical preferences.

Use in words

i

Common form of the “ee” vowel. For example:

đi bình

y

Same sound, alternate spelling. For example:

ý mỹ

Practice 5: vowels 'i', and 'y'

You've now learned all 12 Vietnamese vowels and how they are grouped by sound and shape. By listening, watching, and practicing, you’ve started building the foundation for clear pronunciation. Keep reviewing the differences, especially between similar vowels, and you’ll be ready to move on to tones and full syllables with confidence.