We’re going to talk about the pronunciation of three single vowels in Vietnamese: I, U, and Ư today. 

1. The Pronunciation of "I"

In Vietnamese, the letter "I" always produces the sound /i:/. This sound is exactly the same as the long /i:/ in English, as in the words "see," "me," and "tree." It can also resemble the short /ɪ/ sound, as in "sit."

Some example words:

Đi      Go /diː/

Bí      Pumpkin  /biː/

 

2. The Pronunciation of "U"

In Vietnamese, the letter U always makes the sound /u:/, which is similar to the "oo" sound in English words like "zoo", "moo," and "food." Unlike English, where vowel sounds can vary, the Vietnamese U is consistent. It is always pronounced as a clear /u:/

Some words containing the letter U:

Thu       Autumn /tuː/

Ngu      Foolish  /ŋuː/

Cu        Small boy /kuː/

 

3. The Pronunciation of "Ư"

Let’s talk about the vowel Ư (the letter U with a hook on the top right). This sound doesn’t exist in English, so it might feel a bit challenging at first. Take your time—with a little practice, you’ll master it.

- To pronounce Ư, start with a gentle smile, showing your upper teeth while keeping them relaxed. 

- Begin by leaving a small gap between your upper teeth and bottom lip.

- Then, gently bring your upper teeth close enough to lightly touch your bottom lip. 

- At the same time, keep your tongue low and gently resting against the gum beneath your bottom teeth.

- Finally, produce the sound Ư in a relaxed and smooth manner: smiling, showing your upper teeth which are lightly touching your bottom lip

It’s a short, flat, unrounded sound that should feel noticeably different from U (/u/), as your lips remain unrounded

Let’s practice with some example words. Pay attention to your lip and teeth positions while practicing these words. 

Word

Meaning

Pronunciation

Tư Private/Personal /tɯ/

Thư Letter /tʰɯ/

Hư Broken /hɯ/

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Now let’s review a few common mistakes.

For the letter U, it sounds more similar to /u/ rather than /ʊ/—in put.  

For the letter Ư, the little hook makes the sound totally different from U, so avoid rounding your lips.

Also, don’t over-exaggerate the sound. Ư is subtle and flat, so keep it natural.

Finally, make sure you smile before you say the word. That’s the most common mistake my students make

tanding in front of a mirror to check if your mouth movements match what I mentioned above