6.5 Vowel Sounds with First and Second Series
Irregular Vowels: ួ/ េ/ ឹ/ ៀ/ ឿ
Each vowel can have two sounds depending on the consonants used. However, there are five vowel symbols in Table 1 that are pronounced the same regardless of the series of the consonants.
Use the audio and Table 1 to learn how to pronounce the five vowel symbols.
| Vowel | With First Series Consonant | With Second Series Consonant |
|---|---|---|
| 1. ួ (ua) | សួរ (to ask) | យួរ(to carry) |
| 2. េ (ee) | ដេរ (to sew) | ភេ (otter) |
| 3. ឹ (ə) | ដឹក (to transport) | ទឹក (water) |
| 4. ៀ (ia) | បៀរ (beer) | កៀរ (to gather up) |
| 5. ឿ (oeur) | តឿ (dwarf) | ជឿ (to believe) |
The Pronunciation of the First and Second Series Vowels
Each vowel is pronounced in two different ways. When combined with a first series consonant, it takes the first series value (in bold), and when combined with a second series consonant, it takes the second series value.
Use the audio and Table 2 below to learn the pronunciations of vowel sounds with the first and second series consonants.
Vowel Sounds with First and Second Series Consonants
| No. |
Vowels | IPA | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | ុ | o | តុ (table) |
| u | លុយ (money) | ||
| 2. | ូ | oo | អូរ (stream) |
| uu | គូ (to draw) | ||
| 3. | ែ | ae | កែ (to correct) |
| ee | ភេ (otter) | ||
| 4. | ៃ | ai | ដៃ (hand) |
| ey | រៃ (cicada) | ||
| 5. | ា | aa | កា (cup) |
| ia | ទា (duck) | ||
| 6. | ាំ | am | ចាំ (to wait) |
| oam | រាំ (to dance) | ||
| 7. | ោ | ao | កោ (to shave) |
| oo | អូរ (stream) | ||
| 8. | ៅ | au | ចៅ (Grandson) |
| ouw | ទៅ (to go) | ||
| 9. | ិ | e | លិច (west) |
| i | មិនា (March) | ||
| 10. | ី | ey | បី (Three) |
| ii | ពីរ (two) | ||
| 11. | ឺ | əə | ភឺ (to burp) |
| eu | ឈឺ (sick) | ||
| 12. | េះ | eh | បេះ (to pick up fruit) |
| ih | នេះ (this) | ||
| 13. | ោះ | ɔh | កោះ (island) |
| uah | គោះ (to knock) | ||
| 14. | ំ | ɔm | ដំ (to pound) |
| əm | ធំ (big) | ||
| 15. | ុំ | om | សុំ (to ask for something) |
| əm | ទុំ (ripe) | ||
| 16. | ះ | ah | សះ (to heal) |
| eah | ទះ (to slap) | ||
| 17. | ុះ | oh | ដុះ (to grow) |
| uh | ពុះ (to be boiling of water) |
1. Speaking
Record yourself pronouncing vowel sounds with first and second series consonants and then share it with your friends/teacher for further feedback.
