Acoustic Contrast · Baseline Level vs Fall
The two baseline contours of Vietnamese phonology. English sentence-final downdrift frequently causes learners to let Ngang drift downward into Huyền. Master sustaining an even horizontal pitch line vs letting the pitch slide gently into low register.
Acoustic Anatomy
The difference between these two unmarked tones is pitch stability: holding a constant vocal tension versus letting the pitch drop into chest voice.
Thanh Ngang (No Mark) · Mid Level
Contour: Flat, mid-range sustained pitch across the entire syllable.
Sensation: Similar to humming a single even note. Vocal cords maintain constant, relaxed tension without rising or fading downward.
Example: ma (ghost)
Thanh Huyền (`) · Low Falling
Contour: Starts mid-low and glides smoothly into the lower register.
Sensation: Similar to a relaxed, tired sigh ("ah..."). The vocal cords stay open and unconstricted, allowing the pitch to sink comfortably without an abrupt stop.
Example: mà (but / which)
Select minimal pair to test
Target Syllable
ma
Target: Dấu Ngang (flat mid-level)
Contour Reference (Northern Standard)
Hold a flat, sustained pitch like humming a steady note, then record.
Speak clearly in a quiet room. We test duration, clipping, and background noise first so you never get fake feedback from bad audio.
Diagnostic Cue
Targeted Tone Training
Đúng Chưa? provides real-time signal checks and one focused cue per attempt so you build muscle memory on difficult tone pairs without score gamification.