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Beyond the 9 basic vowel pairs, Thai has several special vowels, diphthongs (vowel combinations that glide from one sound to another), and unique forms that do not follow the standard short/long pattern.
A diphthong is a vowel sound that glides from one position to another within the same syllable. Thai has three main diphthongs, each with a short and long version:
| # | Short Form | Long Form | Pronunciation | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | เ-ียะ (ìa) | เ-ีย (iia) | "ee-ah" glide | เสีย (sǐa) | Broken / to lose |
| 2 | เ-ือะ (ʉ̀a) | เ-ือ (ʉʉa) | "ʉʉ-ah" glide | เรือ (rʉa) | Boat |
| 3 | -ัวะ (ùa) | -ัว (uua) | "oo-ah" glide | ตัว (dtua) | Body / classifier |
เ-ีย (ia):
Written: เ [before] + -ี [above] + ย [after]
Example: เบีย → เ + บ + ี + ย = bia (beer)
เ-ือ (ʉa):
Written: เ [before] + -ื [above] + อ [after]
Example: เมือง → เ + ม + ื + อ + ง = mʉang (city)
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