1.1- Instructions: Rules of Reading in Hmong

Basic Rules – Overview Principles

1. The building blocks of a Hmong word are:
   • consonants (ntawv pib)
   • vowels (ntawv suab)
   • vowel pitch modifiers (ntawv cim suab)
2. The vowel (ntawv suab) is the most important building block of a Hmong word and is always present. It is the main sound of any Hmong word, which is why we call it ntawv suab meaning “letter that produces sound.” The main sound produced by a vowel may be changed:
   1) by adding a beginning sound to it
   2) by “changing the pitch” of the main sound
   3) by doing both of the above at the same time
   • Example vowel: “o” as in the word “o” which means swollen.
3. A beginning sound can be added to the main sound of the vowel (ntawv suab). This beginning sound is known as the consonant (ntawv pib). In a Hmong word, the consonant is always placed in front of the vowel. Think of it as a beginning sound, hence the name “ntawv pib” which means “beginning letter.”
   • Example:
     • “o” which means swollen
     • “p” + “o” = “po” which means spleen
4. The pitch of the vowel, aka the main sound, can also be modified to a different pitch. The way to designate this modification of the vowel to a different pitch is called a vowel pitch modifier (ntawv cim suab). Ntawv cim suab means “letter that determines pitch of the sound.”In a Hmong word, the letters designating vowel pitch modifier is always placed after the vowel.
   • Example:
     • “o” which means swollen
     • “o” + “b” = “ob” which means two
5. The possible combinations of the building blocks of a Hmong word are always in the order: Consonant, Vowel, Vowel Pitch Modifier. Consonants and Vowel Pitch Modifiers are not always used for every Hmong word. So the only possible combinations for a Hmong word are:
   1. Vowel
      • “o” which means swollen
   2. Consonant + Vowel
      • “p” + “o” = “po” which means spleen
   3. Vowel + Vowel Pitch Modifier
      • “o” + “b” = “ob” which means two
   4. Consonant + Vowel + Vowel Pitch Modifier
      • “p” + “o” + “b” = “pob” which means ball
6. Each consonant, vowel, or vowel pitch modifier can have one and only one specific sound. No other letter can make that specific sound. In other word, no one specific Hmong sound can have two ways of spelling it. Another way of saying this is that for any particular sound in Hmong, there is only one way of spelling it. So, if you memorize the sounds of the consonants, vowel, and vowel pitch modifier, and know how they affect each other, you will be able to read in Hmong.
   • there, their, they’re vs pob (ball), pob (pimple)
   • In English, for the sound of “there,” there can be three possible way of spelling it.
     • there, they’re, and their
     • see, sea, i-cee
   • But in Hmong, this is never the case. For a particular sound, there is only one way to spell that particular sound, even if there are different meaning/words:
     • pob (ball) and pob (pimple)
7. The pronunciation of a Hmong word is therefore the sum of the sounds of the consonant, vowel, and vowel pitch modifier. So to read in Hmong, all you need to do is memorize all the sounds of the consonants, vowels, know how the vowel pitch modifier changes the original pitch of the vowel, and then combine these sounds in the above discussed order. Let’s get started memorizing! Use the digital flashcards to learn the correct pronunciation of these sounds. Then we’ll practice combining these sounds! You’ve got this! You can do it!!!

Worksheets and Quizzes

Interactive Digital Flashcards