Free reference chart
The 5 Thai tones
Thai is a tonal language: the same syllable has five completely different meanings depending on the tone. This chart gives you an overview of all five tones with Paiboon+ markers, pitch movement and example words.
Mid tone
สามัญFlat, in the middle of your vocal range. Your normal speaking voice.
→
Paiboon+
a (geen markering)
Thai
มา
Romanization
maa
Meaning
to come
Low tone
เอกLow and flat — bottom of your vocal range.
↓→
Paiboon+
à
Thai
ม่า
Romanization
màa
Meaning
widow
Falling tone
โทStarts high, falls sharply to low.
↘
Paiboon+
â
Thai
ข้าว
Romanization
khâao
Meaning
rice
High tone
ตรีHigh and tense — top of your vocal range.
→ (hoog)
Paiboon+
á
Thai
ม้า
Romanization
máa
Meaning
horse
Rising tone
จัตวาStarts low-mid, rises at the end — like a question.
↗
Paiboon+
ǎ
Thai
หมา
Romanization
mǎa
Meaning
dog
Tip: how to remember the five tones
Use the word maa as an anchor — it has all five tones: maa (to come) · màa (widow) · mâa (aunt) · máa (horse) · mǎa (dog). Practise these five words aloud until you hear the difference. The tones are systematic — not random. In the full tones guide you'll find audio examples for each word.
Learn more about Thai tones
Thai tones explained
In-depth guide with audio examples for each of the 5 tones.
Thai pronunciation
Everything about the 5 tones, Paiboon+ romanization and how tone sandhi works.
Consonant classes — reference chart
The 3 consonant classes and tone rules clearly laid out on one page.
Learn Thai — complete guide
From absolute beginner to fluent Thai. Tones, script, method and timeline.
Thai dictionary
Browse Thai words with pronunciation, tones and interactive quizzes.
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