Basic Vowels
In English, the length of the vowel can change the whole word!
sentiment_satisfied The "Smile" Sound
Rule: For the long /i:/, stretch your mouth wide like a smile!
Click to hear the difference (ចុចស្តាប់)
face The "Drop Jaw" Sound
Rule: For /æ/ (Bad), drop your jaw low. For /e/ (Bed), keep your mouth relaxed.
Click to hear the difference (ចុចស្តាប់)
radio_button_unchecked The "Round Lips" Sound
Rule: For the long /u:/, push your lips forward like you are blowing a kiss!
Click to hear the difference (ចុចស្តាប់)
Don't mix up short and long vowels!
If you use a LONG sound here (Leave), it means you want to go away! (ចង់ចាកចេញ)
Use a SHORT sound (Live) to mean you want to stay! (ចង់រស់នៅទីនេះ)
Listen & Choose
Listen & Choose
Mission my_location
Mission my_location
Mission my_location
Mission my_location
Video Lesson
Ask a Question front_hand
Recent Questions
Hi Sovan! English spelling is a mix of many languages over hundreds of years. This is why we use the IPA (like /i:/ and /ɪ/) to study pronunciation, because we cannot always trust the letters! menu_book
How do I know if my mouth is in the right shape for the long /i:/ sound?
Use the "Smile Test"! Look in a mirror. When you say "Seat" or "Sheep", your lips should stretch wide like you are smiling. If your lips are relaxed, it will sound like the short /ɪ/ in "Sit". sentiment_satisfied
Do native speakers really hear the difference? Or can they guess from the sentence?
They hear it VERY clearly! Even though they can sometimes guess what you mean from the context, mixing up these sounds can lead to some very funny or embarrassing mistakes (like in Trap #1). It is worth practicing! headphones
Why is English spelling so weird? "Read" (present) and "read" (past) are spelled the same but sound different!