Vị trí của phụ âm- Positions of Consonants

Consonants: Phụ âm

Consonants in Vietnamese are considered as Syllable.
There are twenty seven consonants in Vietnamese. Consonants are in two position such as initial syllable and Final syllable. Some consonants always standing intially in the words, some always at the end. and the rest can be used in initial or final positions

1. Chỉ đứng ở đầu từ: Begin the words.

- B as in Ba (three or dad)
- D as in Dùng (use) or in Dạy (Teach)
- Đ as in Đi (Go), or in Đường (Sugar)
- H as in Hồ (lake), hài (humorous)
- KH as in Không (zero) or khách (guests)
 Note: K+H=>KH , this syllable is pronouced like C in Car
- L as in Lớp (class)
- PH as in Phà (Ferris)
 Note: P+H=>PH , this syllable is pronouced like P in Picture or Power
- QU as in Quê (hometown)
 Note: Q+U=>QU , this syllable is pronouced like KW in Question
- R as in rung (vibration)
- T as in Tôi (I), tây (western)
- S as in Sữa (milk); Sàn nhà (Floor)
- TH as in Thính (ear)
- TR as in Tre (Bamboo), Trẻ (Young)
- V as in và (and); ví (wallet)
- X as in xe (Car), Xuân (spring)

2. Luôn đứng ở cuối từ: Always at the end of the words.

There is only one consonant that always stands at the end of the word. It's P.
Example:
Kịp ( in time)
Lớp (class)

3. Có thể đứng ở đầu hoặc cuối từ mà không có hạn chế (Can be initial or final without limitation)

- CH: C + H to form a new syllable (CH). this syllable is pronouced like tʃ in Check when it comes intinially in a word
Example:
Chè (tea)
Chọn (Choose)

But when it is a final syllable, we don't pronouce it clearly.
Example:
Cách (Manner)
Ích (useful)

M and N can be initial or final

Initial:
M: Mưa (rain), mạnh (Strong)
N: Này (this), nắng (Sunny)

Final
M: Tìm (Search), Mắm (Sauce fish)
N: Nên (had better), bán (sell)

NH: this sound don't have proper equivalent in English, However, when it comes intially in a word, it somehow can be pronounced like California, companion
Example:
Initial:

Nhà (House)
Nhưng (But)

Final:

Mạnh (Strong)
Tính (Counting)
or it can be initial and final in the same word.
Example:
Nhanh (fast)
Nhánh or nhành (Branch)

4. Có thể đứng ở đầu hoặc cuối nhưng có hạn chế ở nguyên âm: That can be initial or final but in some cases only.

C: Can be initial except before i, e, ê, y
Example:
Cá (Fish)
Cũng (Likewise)
Except: Ci, cê, cy, ce (wrong: Never happens)

C: Can be final but after u, o, ô, ư, a,..
Example:
độc (poisonous), học (Study), đúc (Cast)

GH ininital only before, i, e, ê
Example: Ghi nhớ (note), ghê (disgust), ghe (Boat)

G can be intial when it does not come before i, e, ê
Gỗ: Wood, Gối (Pillow), Gà (Chicken)

GI can be initial when it followed by consonat, Ê or nothing
 Gìn (Keep): Followed by consonant N
 Giếng (Well)
 Gì (what): Nothing after it.

K can be initial when it stands before i, e, ê, y
Example: Kia (over there); Kêu (call); Ký (Sign), Kẻ (draw a line)