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The middle class consonants (อักษรกลาง, àksǒn glaang) are the foundation of the Thai writing system. There are 9 middle class consonants, and they are the easiest group to start with because their tone rules are the most straightforward.
Middle class consonants produce the most predictable tones:
| # | Character | Name | Sound (Initial) | Sound (Final) | Example Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ก | กอ ไก่ (gɔɔ gài) | g | k | ไก่ (gài) | Chicken |
| 2 | จ | จอ จาน (jɔɔ jaan) | j | t | จาน (jaan) | Plate |
| 3 | ฎ | ดอ ชะดา (dɔɔ chá-daa) | d | t | ชฎา (chá-daa) | Crown headdress |
| 4 | ฏ | ตอ ปะตัก (dtɔɔ bpà-dtàk) | dt | t | ปฏัก (bpà-dtàk) | Goad/spear |
| 5 | ด | ดอ เด็ก (dɔɔ dèk) | d | t | เด็ก (dèk) | Child |
| 6 | ต | ตอ เต่า (dtɔɔ dtào) | dt | t | เต่า (dtào) | Turtle |
| 7 | บ | บอ ใบไม้ (bɔɔ bai-máai) | b | p | ใบไม้ (bai-máai) | Leaf |
| 8 | ป | ปอ ปลา (bpɔɔ bplaa) | bp | p | ปลา (bplaa) | Fish |
| 9 | อ | ออ อ่าง (ɔɔ àang) | (silent) | — | อ่าง (àang) | Basin |
Thai distinguishes between aspirated and unaspirated consonants. This distinction does not exist in English:
| Thai Sound | English Approximation | Aspiration |
|---|---|---|
| บ (b) | Like "b" in "bat" | Voiced, no aspiration |
| ป (bp) | Between "b" and "p" — like "p" in "spin" | Unaspirated, unvoiced |
| พ (ph) | Like "p" in "pat" | Aspirated |
Compare:
บา (baa) — voiced "b", like English "bar"
ปา (bpaa) — unaspirated, like "p" in "spar" (no puff of air)
พา (phaa) — aspirated, like "p" in "par" (strong puff of air)
Tip: Hold your hand in front of your mouth. For ป (bp), you should feel NO puff of air. For พ (ph), you should feel a strong puff. For บ (b), your vocal cords vibrate.
Middle class consonants have the most straightforward tone rules:
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