Tone Rules

Three Classes of Consonants

  • Low
    • ค, ฅ, ฆ, ง, ช, ซ, ฌ, ญ, ฑ, ฒ, ณ, ท, ธ, น, พ, ฟ, ภ, ม, ย, ร, ล, ว, ฬ, ฮ
  • Mid
    • ก, จ, ฎ, ฏ, ด, ต, บ, ป, อ
  • High
    • ข, ฃ, ฉ, ฐ, ถ, ผ, ฝ, ศ, ษ, ส, ห

Tone of Syllables with Tone Marks

Tone MarkThaiTransliterationTone (Consonant Class)
-่ไม้เอกmai ehkfalling tone (low) \n low tone (mid & high)
-้ไม้โทmai thohigh tone (low) \n falling tone (mid & high)
-๊ไม้ตรีmai trihigh (all class)
-๋ไม้จัตวาmai chatawarising (all class)

Tone Rule Summary

(c) thai-language.com

Tonal Composition of Thai Syllables

Lexical toneInitial Consonant TypeSyllable TypeTone Mark
Lowmiddead
Lowmidliveอ่
Lowhighdead
Lowhighliveอ่
Lowอ + sonorantdead
Lowอ + sonorantliveอ่
Lowห + sonorantdead
Lowห + sonorantliveอ่
Midlowlive
Midmidlive
Highlowopen, short
Highlowclosed dead, short
Highlowanyอ้
Highmidanyอ๊
Risinghighlive
Risingmidanyอ๋
Risingห + sonorantlive
Fallinglowclosed dead; long
Fallinglowanyอ่
Fallingห + sonorantliveอ้
Fallingmidanyอ้
Fallinghghanyอ้

Tips

  • If there is a tone mark, the resulting tone will never be mid.
  • Vowel duration is only considered for low class initial with dead ending.