Vietnamese Tone Marks Explained (All 5 Accent Marks + Chart)
Vietnamese has 5 tone marks for 6 tones. See every accent mark, what it means, and how to type and read them, with a quick chart.
Quick answer
Vietnamese uses 5 tone marks (à á ả ã ạ) to write its 6 tones, the sixth (ngang) has no mark. Each mark changes the meaning of the word, not just its sound, by setting the syllable's pitch.
If you've seen Vietnamese writing, you've noticed the little marks stacked over and under the vowels. Those are tone marks, and they're the written half of the six Vietnamese tones. This guide focuses on the marks themselves, what they look like, what they mean, and how to type them.
The 5 tone marks at a glance
| Mark | Name | Tone | Pitch contour | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (none) | ngang | level | flat, mid | ma (ghost) |
| ` | huyền | falling | low, falling | mà (but) |
| ´ | sắc | rising | high, rising | má (cheek) |
| ̉ | hỏi | dipping | dip then rise | mả (tomb) |
| ~ | ngã | creaky | broken rise | mã (horse) |
| . | nặng | heavy | short, dropping | mạ (rice seedling) |
Tone marks vs letter diacritics (the #1 confusion)
This trips up almost every beginner. Vietnamese has two kinds of marks:
- Letter diacritics are part of the letter. The hooks and circumflexes in ă, â, ê, ô, ơ, ư change the vowel sound. They never move.
- Tone marks (à á ả ã ạ) sit on top of the main vowel and change the pitch. They can appear on any vowel, including the special ones, so you can stack both, as in ữ (ư + ngã).
In short: diacritics tell you which vowel, tone marks tell you which pitch. See the Vietnamese alphabet guide for the letter side.
What each mark does
- Huyền ( ` ), your voice starts mid and falls low. The grave accent "falls" to the left.
- Sắc ( ´ ), voice rises sharply, like a question in English.
- Hỏi ( ̉ ), a dip-then-rise; the little hook looks like a question mark.
- Ngã ( ~ ), a rising tone with a glottal catch in the middle. Southern speakers often merge it with hỏi.
- Nặng ( . ), a short, heavy drop, cut off at the end.
Where the mark sits
The tone mark goes over (or under, for nặng) the main vowel of the syllable. In vowel clusters, modern style places it on the vowel that carries the sound, hoà or hòa, thuý or thúy, depending on the convention.
How to type Vietnamese tone marks (Telex)
| Type this | To get | Tone |
|---|---|---|
| af | à | huyền |
| as | á | sắc |
| ar | ả | hỏi |
| ax | ã | ngã |
| aj | ạ | nặng |
(Telex also makes special letters: aa → â, aw → ă, ow → ơ, uw → ư, dd → đ.)
Hear them, don't just read them
Tone marks make sense the moment you hear the pitch they stand for. Pair this with the six tones and start matching mark to sound.
Sources
- Vietnamese phonology. Linguistic reference for the six tones, their pitch contours, and the Southern hỏi/ngã merger.
- Vietnamese alphabet. Linguistic reference for the five tone marks vs letter diacritics and Telex/VNI input.
Frequently asked questions
How many tone marks does Vietnamese have?
Vietnamese uses 5 tone marks (à á ả ã ạ) to write 6 tones. The sixth tone, ngang, has no mark at all.
What's the difference between tone marks and letter diacritics?
Tone marks (à á ả ã ạ) sit above or below the main vowel and change the pitch of a syllable. Letter diacritics like the ones in ơ, ư, ê, ô are part of the letter itself and change the vowel sound, not the tone.
How do I type Vietnamese tone marks?
Most people use Telex or VNI input. In Telex you type the tone letter after the syllable: f = huyền (à), s = sắc (á), r = hỏi (ả), x = ngã (ã), j = nặng (ạ).
Which mark is which tone?
Grave (à) = huyền/falling, acute (á) = sắc/rising, hook (ả) = hỏi/dipping, tilde (ã) = ngã/creaky, and dot below (ạ) = nặng/heavy. No mark = ngang/level.