Vietnamese Vowels: A Complete Guide to Every Sound

Key Highlights

Here’s a quick look at what this guide covers:

• The Vietnamese language has 12 vowels. Some of these vowels use accent marks that change the sound.

• Vietnamese is a tonal language. The pitch you use will change the meaning of a word.

• To learn Vietnamese pronunciation, you need to know about single vowels, as well as vowels that come together like diphthongs and triphthongs.

• Accent marks, also called diacritics, show you both the right vowel sound and the tone.

• How you pronounce Vietnamese vowels can change by region, for example in Northern and Southern dialects.

Introduction

Welcome to your complete guide to Vietnamese vowels! When you see written Vietnamese, you will notice the many marks over and under the letters. These marks are not just for looks; they help with correct pronunciation. It is important to learn the different vowel sounds in the Vietnamese language. If you can get these sounds right, you will find it much easier to use and understand the Vietnamese language.

This guide shows you everything you need to know about vowels. You will learn about single vowels, tones, and mixed vowel sounds. With this help, you can make your learning journey much smoother. The information here will help you say words the right way and improve your pronunciation in Vietnamese.

Understanding Vietnamese Vowels and Their Importance

Knowing how to say Vietnamese vowels is key to speaking and being understood. In Vietnamese, each vowel in the alphabet makes a clear sound. This is not like English, where one vowel can get said in different ways. The Vietnamese language uses marks, called diacritics, on the vowel letters. These marks help you know which sound to make.

The vowel sounds are the start of every word. If you say a vowel wrong, it can change what you mean. People might not get what you want to say. Now, let’s take a look at the vietnamese alphabet. This way, you can see how vowels in the vietnamese language are not like the ones in English.

Overview of the Vietnamese Alphabet and Vowel System

The modern Vietnamese alphabet uses a Latin script, so at first, it may look like English. But it has letters and marks you do not see in English. In this alphabet, there are 12 basic vowel letters: a, ă, â, e, ê, i, y, o, ô, ơ, u, and ư. Each one stands for its own sound, and the pronunciation is always the same.

Some letters, such as â, ê, and ô, have a “hat” mark (called mũ). Others like ă, ơ, and ư, have a “hook” mark (called móc). These marks are important because they give the letters distinct sounds compared to normal vowels. That means o, ô, and ơ are not the same. ‘O’ is like the ‘o’ in “hot.” ‘Ô’ sounds like the ‘o’ in “go.” ‘Ơ’ is close to the ‘er’ in “bird.”

To get started with the vietnamese alphabet, try to understand how its vowels work. This is a big step toward speaking Vietnamese well. Each sound is clear on its own. If you learn the vowel quality for every letter, you will do well. For example, when you want to say the ư sound, you can smile a little. That helps you get it right.

How Vietnamese Vowel Sounds Differ from English Vowels

For english speakers, vietnamese vowel sounds can be hard because a lot of them do not match any sound in english. The way you use your mouth and your tongue is much more important to make these distinct sounds right in vietnamese.

In english, we have many vowel sounds for the same letters. For example, the letter ‘a’ makes different sounds in “cat,” “car,” and “cake.” But vietnamese is different. It is more phonetic. Each vowel, with its diacritics, will have one sound only, almost all the time. So, if you memorize these rules, it can actually be easier to learn.

Here are a few key differences:

• New Sounds: Vietnamese has some vowel sounds like ‘ư’ and ‘ơ’ that english speakers do not use.

• Consistency: Vietnamese vowel sounds are the same every time. In english, they can be so different.

• Mouth Shape: To make the ‘ư’ sound, you need to use a small smile with your mouth. This is not how most english vowel sounds are made.

The Role of Tones in Vietnamese Vowel Pronunciation

Vietnamese is a tonal language. This means the pitch and how your voice moves when you say a word are just as important as the vowel and the consonant sounds. Each syllable in Vietnamese has one of six tones. If you change the tone, you change the whole word’s meaning.

Think of vietnamese tones as a key part of the vowel sounds. You can not just say the vowel. You need to use the right pitch with it. Mastering vietnamese tones is very important for people to understand you in vietnamese. Now, let’s see what these tones are and how they change the vowel sounds.

Introduction to Vietnamese Tones

There are six separate tones in the standard Vietnamese language. Each tone is shown by a special tone mark, or accent, that is put on the main vowel of a syllable. These marks are not just for style. They tell you how to change your voice’s pitch when you speak. For example, the word ‘ma’ can mean a lot of things. It can mean “ghost,” “but,” “mother,” “rice seedling,” “tomb,” or “horse.” The meaning depends on the tone mark used.

The six tones in Vietnamese are: ngang (high, flat), huyền (low, falling), sắc (high, rising), hỏi (dipping-rising), ngã (creaky rising), and nặng (low, short). The marks for each tone often look like the sound they make. The sắc accent (´) points up, the same way your voice does when you use it. The hỏi accent (̉) looks a bit like a question mark, and your voice goes up and down, like you are asking something.

Tone marks in Vietnamese are added together with the vowel’s own diacritics. That’s why sometimes, a single vowel in Vietnamese can have two marks, like in the word ‘tiếng’.

How Tones Affect Vowel Sounds

Tones in Vietnamese change both how you say a vowel and how people hear it. In English, people use intonation throughout a sentence to show how they feel or to ask a question. But in Vietnamese, every syllable in a word has its own pitch pattern. This changes the word’s meaning a lot.

Think about the vowel ‘a’. On its own, it has just one sound. If you add a tone, you add a layer of pitch too. For example, ‘la’ with the ngang tone is flat and high. With the huyền tone like ‘là’, it starts low and stays low. Even though the base sound is the same, the pitch makes them two different words.

Here’s what happens when tones and vowels work together:

• Meaning: The main job of tones is to tell one word’s meaning from another.

• Pitch Contour: Every tone gives the vowel its own pitch pattern. It might go up, down, or dip.

• Length and Quality: Some tones, like the nặng tone (.), can make the vowel quicker and more abrupt.

Vietnamese Vowel Types Explained

Vietnamese vowel sounds come in different types. The simple ones are called single vowels, or monophthongs. These are the 12 basic vowel sounds that we talked about before. Things start to change when these single vowels join together to form new sounds.

When two vowels mix, they make diphthongs. When three come together, these are known as triphthongs. These blended vowel sounds pop up a lot in Vietnamese, and they are very important for good pronunciation. Let’s take some time to look at the types of vowel sounds to see how they work.

Single Vowels (Monophthongs) and Their Pronunciation

The foundation of Vietnamese pronunciation lies in its 12 single vowels, or monophthongs. Each of these has a distinct and consistent sound. Unlike in English, where ‘a’ can be pronounced many ways, in the Vietnamese alphabet, ‘a’, ‘ă’, and ‘â’ are three separate vowels with their own unique sounds.

Mastering these core sounds is crucial before moving on to more complex combinations. For instance, the difference between ‘o’ and ‘ô’ is a common stumbling block for learners. ‘O’ is an open sound like in “hot,” while ‘ô’ is a closed sound like in “go.”

Here is a quick reference to some of these vowels and their approximate English sounds. Remember that mouth shape is key—for ‘ư’, you need to smile slightly!

Vietnamese Vowel	Approximate English Sound	Example Word
a	‘a’ as in “father”	ba (three)
ă	‘a’ as in “cat” (shorter)	ăn (to eat)
â	‘u’ as in “but”	cân (to weigh)
e	‘e’ as in “get”	em (younger sibling)
ê	‘ay’ as in “say”	tên (name)
o	‘o’ as in “hot”	cho (to give)
ô	‘o’ as in “go”	tô (bowl)
ơ	‘er’ as in “bird”	bơ (butter)
u	‘oo’ as in “boot”	du (to travel)
ư	(no English equivalent)	tư (four)
i/y	‘ee’ as in “see”	đi (to go)

Diphthongs: Common Combinations and Sounds

Once you feel good with single vowels, the next thing to do is learn about diphthongs. In Vietnamese, a diphthong is when two vowels come together in one part of a word, and your voice moves from the first vowel to the next. There are many of these vowel sounds in Vietnamese words, and you will hear them a lot in daily talk.

Some vowel mixes will sound like English sounds. That can help if you are one of the learners. For example, the ‘ai’ sound in Vietnamese words is like it is in “like” or “high” in English. You hear this when you say ‘hai’ (two). The ‘ao’ sound in Vietnamese words is like ‘ow’ in the words “now” or “how.” You see this in the word ‘chào’ (hello).

But some of these diphthongs are special to Vietnamese, and not like ones you hear in English. For example, when you say ‘ay’ as in the word ‘tay’ (hand), your mouth needs to open wide. Then shut your teeth together a bit to make the right /i/ sound. Learning how to say these sounds the right way helps you to sound more like a native when you speak Vietnamese.

Triphthongs: Unique Blended Vowel Sounds

The vietnamese vowel system does not just use diphthongs. It also has triphthongs in the vietnamese language. These are vowel sounds that mix three vowels together in one go. Triphthongs are not as common as diphthongs, but they are still key for the vietnamese language. They make a smooth, flowing sound in a single syllable that moves over three vowel sounds.

An easy triphthong to hear in the vietnamese language is in the word ‘yêu’ (to love). In this word, the sound starts like ‘i’, shifts into an ‘e’ sound, and ends with the ‘u’ sound. The word ‘tươi’ (fresh) has another triphthong, which shows up in ‘ươi’. When you say these, your tongue and lips move together, mixing the vowel sounds in a soft way.

If you want to get better at vowels and pronunciation in vietnamese, triphthongs are helpful to learn. When you know how these three sounds join together to make a smooth note, you will understand and speak better. Try to listen and pay close attention to native speakers. Doing this will teach you the rhythm and sound that go with triphthongs in the vietnamese language.

Accent Marks and How They Represent Vietnamese Vowels

The accent marks, called diacritics, in the Vietnamese alphabet can look confusing at first. But they have two big jobs. First, they can change a vowel in the alphabet to make a new sound. Second, they show the tone that you should use for each part of a word.

This way of using marks in the Vietnamese writing system helps make meaning clear. In Vietnamese, a vowel can get one mark that changes its sound, such as the ‘hat’ seen on ‘ê’. It can also have a different mark to show the tone, like the ‘sắc’ mark in ‘tiếng’. Let’s look at these accent marks to see how they work.

Understanding Diacritics in Vietnamese Writing

Diacritics are at the heart of Vietnamese writing. If you do not have them, the words are almost impossible to read. There are two main types of diacritics in Vietnamese. Some change the vowel. Others tell you the tone. For instance, the letters ‘a’, ‘ă’, and ‘â’ are not the same letter. They are three different vowels because of these marks.

The accents that change a vowel sound have special names. The circumflex (^) is called ‘dấu mũ’, or “hat accent.” You will see it on ‘â’, ‘ê’, and ‘ô’. The breve (˘) is on ‘ă’. The horn shows up on ‘ơ’ and ‘ư’. That mark is called ‘móc’, or “hook.” These are not extra marks; they make new letters with different sounds.

On top of all that, you add one of six main tone marks. Here are the main vietnamese accent marks:

• Mũ (^): Makes â, ê, ô.

• Móc (˘, ̛ ): Makes ă, ơ, ư.

• Ngang (no mark): Gives a high and flat sound.

• Huyền (`): Gives a low, falling sound.

• Sắc (´): Gives a high, rising sound.

• Hỏi (̉): Dips and rises in sound.

• **Ngã (~

Examples of Vowel Representation with Accent Marks

Seeing how accent marks work in real Vietnamese words makes their function much clearer. A single vowel letter can appear in many forms depending on the tone and vowel modification marks applied to it. This efficient system packs a lot of pronunciation information into each syllable.

Consider the word ‘phở’, Vietnam’s famous noodle soup. The vowel is ‘ơ’, which is created by adding a ‘móc’ or horn to ‘o’. The tone mark is ‘hỏi’ ( ̉ ), which tells you to say the word with a dipping-rising pitch, almost like asking a question: “phở?”. This combination of a vowel diacritic and a tone mark is very common.

Let’s look at another example. The sentence “Học tiếng Việt hay lắm” (“Studying Vietnamese is very interesting”) showcases this perfectly. ‘Học’ has one mark (the nặng tone), ‘tiếng’ and ‘Việt’ have two marks (a vowel modifier and a tone mark), and ‘hay’ has none.

Word	Vowel Letter	Vowel Diacritic	Tone Mark	Meaning
ma	a	None	Ngang (none)	ghost
mà	a	None	Huyền (`)	but
má	a	None	Sắc (´)	mother (Southern)
mả	a	None	Hỏi (̉)	tomb
mã	a	None	Ngã (~)	horse/code
mạ	a	None	Nặng (.)	rice seedling
một	ô	Mũ (^)	Nặng (.)	one
sữa	ư	Móc ( ̛ )	Ngã (~)	milk

Beginner’s Guide: How to Learn and Practice Vietnamese Vowels

For beginners, it can seem hard to learn Vietnamese vowels. But if you have the right approach and keep practicing, you can do it. It helps to break everything down. Try to learn small parts instead of taking on too much at one time.

It’s all right to make mistakes at the start, because that is how people learn. Focus on listening and saying sounds again and again. This gives you a strong start in learning the Vietnamese language. You can use apps, join a Vietnamese language course, or talk with native speakers. What matters most is to keep working at it every day.

What You Need to Get Started (Resources, Tools, Apps)

Having the right resources can really help you when you want to learn Vietnamese sounds. You can find many tools and apps made to help you with this. It is good to use audio material because you get to hear the correct pronunciation from native speakers.

If you like learning in a classroom, you can choose to join Vietnamese classes. You get personal feedback on your pronunciation from a teacher. If you want to study by yourself, language learning apps have exercises that help you listen and speak.

Here are some resources to help you get started:

• Language Apps: Try out apps like Pimsleur or VPod101 that have audio lessons and teach you pronunciation.

• Flashcards: Make flashcards, digital or on paper, for each vowel and tone. Add an example word and audio for each card.

• Online Dictionaries: Use dictionaries that come with audio recordings, so you can hear how a word is said the right way.

• Language Exchange Partners: Talk to a native Vietnamese speaker, either on the internet or in person, to practice with them.

Step-by-Step Guide to Mastering Vietnamese Vowels

A simple, step-by-step plan works best for learning Vietnamese vowels. Do not try to learn everything at once. Just focus on one sound and one mark each time. This way, you get better in the vietnamese language and build good habits for pronunciation.

You want to go from just hearing to using what you learn. Begin with listening to the sounds to know how they are different. Next, do your best to copy the sounds. Then use your new skill with accent marks when you write and speak. This approach helps make learning Vietnamese feel easier for all people.

You can use this plan to learn the vietnamese language:

• Step 1: Listen and pick out each vowel sound.

• Step 2: Practice saying each sound with audio from a native speaker.

• Step 3: Use accent marks the right way as you write.

• Step 4: Try your new skills in real words and sentences.

• Step 5: Ask a native speaker or teacher for feedback.

Using this plan, you will get to know the vietnamese language and be good with vowels and accent marks.

Step 1: Listen and Identify Each Vowel Sound

The first step is to train your ear. Before you try to say the vowel sounds, you need to listen and pick up the small differences. Use audio tools where native speakers say each of the 12 single vowels clearly and slowly.

Listen to pairs of vowels that sound alike, like ‘o’ and ‘ô’, or ‘i’ and ‘ư’. If you are watching a video, look at how the speaker’s mouth moves. The goal here is to be able to tell the sounds apart in your mind. Ask yourself if you can hear the difference between ‘a’, ‘ă’, and ‘â’.

Do this exercise often. The more you listen, the better you get at hearing these vowel sounds. It is key to getting good at vowel pronunciation. The skill you build by listening will help you later when you start pronouncing them yourself.

Step 2: Practice Pronunciation with Native Audio

When you know how to recognize the different vowel sounds, it is time to try making them yourself. The best way to work on your pronunciation is by using the “listen and repeat” method. Play a short audio of a native speaker saying a vowel or an easy word. Try to copy the sound as closely as you can.

Record yourself to hear how your vietnamese sounds compare to the audio. Ask yourself if the pitch matches. Is your mouth shape right? This might feel hard, but it really helps you find mistakes and fix them early. Work on one sound at a time. Keep at it until you feel good about it, then move to the next one.

Do not be afraid! Making these vietnamese vowel sounds can feel odd when you start, because you have to use your tongue and mouth in ways you have not tried before. Doing it again and again is the best way to get the muscle memory you need for fluent pronunciation.

Step 3: Use Accent Marks Correctly in Writing

Now that you know the sounds, it’s time to match them with the writing system. Practice by writing words and noticing the diacritics. The vietnamese alphabet uses accent marks on the vowels, and these also show the tones.

A good way to practice is to listen to a word and write it with the right accent marks. For instance, if you hear ‘sữa’ (milk), try to spot the ‘ư’ vowel and the ‘ngã’ tone, then write it right. This helps you see how the heard sounds and written symbols go together in vietnamese.

Learning where to put the diacritics and what they mean is key for reading and writing. It will help you understand more about how the vietnamese alphabet and the writing system work. There are also lots of online tools and keyboards that you can use to practice typing accent marks.

Step 4: Apply Vowel Pronunciation in Real Words and Sentences

The last step is to take what you know and start using it in real sentences and everyday words. It is important to learn about vowels and tones one by one. But the main goal is to use these in the right place when you talk or read. You can start with easy, one-syllable vietnamese words. Later, move on and try bigger words and short sentences.

Read easy sentences out loud. Pay close attention to how you say each vowel and tone. Listen to native speakers say those same lines. Try to copy the way they sound and how their sentences flow. Doing this will help you stop thinking about single sounds and start talking in a smooth and clear way.

Don’t worry about making mistakes when you try what you have learned in a talk with someone, even if all you can say for now is “chào bạn” (hello friend). The more you speak vietnamese, the better and more sure you will feel. Every talk gives you a time to use and grow your language skills.

Regional Differences in Vietnamese Vowel Pronunciation

The Vietnamese writing system is the same everywhere in the country. But the way people say vowels and tones can be very different in each area. There are three main dialects. These are Northern (Hanoi), Central (Hue), and Southern (Ho Chi Minh City). The way Vietnamese changes by region is a big part of the language.

If you are learners, it is best to pick one dialect and use it all the time so you do not get confused. Most people learn either the Northern or Southern dialect. These two are the ones taught to most people from other countries. Let’s see some of the main ways that pronunciation can be different across dialects.

Northern vs Southern Vowel Sounds

The biggest differences in Vietnamese vowel sounds come from the Northern and Southern dialects. Many of the vowels are said the same in these areas, but there are some that sound and feel different. The northern pronunciation, used in Hanoi, is seen as the standard. This is what you most often hear on national news in Vietnam.

The southern accent, which you will often hear in Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta, also has its own things that stand out. One big thing is with the tones. Southern speakers mostly use five tones. The ‘hỏi’ and ‘ngã’ tones that are different in northern Vietnamese become the same in southern Vietnamese. That means, in southern vietnamese, words like ‘sữa’ and ‘sửa’ may both sound the same.

Here are a few big ways the dialects do not match up:

• Tones: Southern vietnamese makes the ‘hỏi’ and ‘ngã’ tones sound the same.

• Consonants: Some starting sounds in words are different in the south. ‘r’, ‘d’, and ‘gi’ are usually said like the ‘y’ in “yes” in English.

• Vowel Mergers: Certain vowel sounds that stay different in northern vietnamese are combined into one sound in the southern accent.

Central Dialect Variations

The Central dialect of Vietnamese, especially from places like Hue and Nghe An, is one of the hardest for most people to understand. Even native speakers from other parts of Vietnam can find this accent hard. The vowel sounds in this group of dialects are not like what you get in other parts of the country, and the way the tones sound is also very different.

For example, in some areas in Central Vietnam, the ‘ê’ vowel sound will be spoken in another way. The tones in these dialects are heavier. That makes the way people say words sound very distinct compared to what you might hear in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. The Central dialect still keeps some things from old Vietnamese, so it does not sound the same as today’s Northern or Southern dialects.

This way of speaking is interesting, but most learners or beginners will not need to spend time on the Central dialect. Unless you want to live or work in Central Vietnam, it is usually better to pick either the Northern or Southern Vietnamese dialect to start with. This helps most people who want to learn Vietnamese communicate better.

Tips for Correct Vietnamese Vowel Pronunciation

Getting Vietnamese vowel pronunciation right needs some time and a lot of practice. When you want to learn, you need to know there are some common mistakes and useful ways to get better at it. Do not try to be perfect at once. Make slow and steady progress instead.

The best thing you can do is listen more than you talk, at least when you start. Try to hear the small differences in each vowel sound. If you pay attention and use good methods, you can get better at vietnamese pronunciation much faster.

Common Mistakes Learners Make and How to Avoid Them

Many people who start with the Vietnamese language, especially if English is their first language, often make the same mistakes. One big mistake is to leave out the tones or think they are not needed. In Vietnamese, the tone is a part of every word. If you get it wrong, you can change the meaning by accident.

Another thing learners often do is say Vietnamese vowels the same way as they say them in English. For example, a lot of people make a mistake by saying ‘o’ and ‘ô’ in the same way. When you learn the Vietnamese language, you have to see every vowel as a new sound. You need to use your mouth and your tongue in a different way for each one.

To help you get better with Vietnamese pronunciation:

• Don’t Ignore Tones: Practice Vietnamese tones every time you say a new word.

• Forget English Rules: Each Vietnamese vowel needs its own sound. Treat it as something new.

• Mixing up Vowels: Listen closely to vowels that sound almost the same, like ‘o’, ‘ô’, ‘ơ’, or ‘i’, ‘y’, ‘ư’. Practice saying these pairs so you get better at hearing and saying the difference.

• Record Yourself: Try to make a recording when you speak Vietnamese. Then, listen to it so you can find where you may have made mistakes.

With work and practice, you will get better at the Vietnamese language over time.

Techniques for Improving Your Pronunciation

Getting better at your pronunciation takes time and steady work. You will see the most improvement in the vietnamese language when you practice with the right methods, not just by repeating after someone over and over. Doing special exercises lets you work on your accent and makes you sound more like you grew up with the language.

One of the best ways to get better is by using shadowing. You can do this by listening to a native speaker and copying what he or she says right after. Try to follow just a moment behind, staying with the speed and sound at the same time. In this way, you copy the rhythm, the intonation, and the flow of the vietnamese language, not just single words or sounds.

Here are some ways to work on your pronunciation and make good progress:

• Shadowing: Listen to native audio and repeat right away. This helps you pick up a good flow and the right rhythm with the vietnamese language.

• Minimal Pair Drills: Practice telling the difference between words that are almost the same except for one sound. For example, practice saying ‘ma’ and ‘má’ and listen for what is different.

• Tongue Twisters: Try saying vietnamese tongue twisters out loud. These are good for hard sounds and will help your mouth remember new moves.

• Get Feedback: Ask a native speaker or your teacher to listen while you talk. They can point out small mistakes that you might not hear, and help

Conclusion

To sum up, learning how to use vietnamese vowels is very important if you want to speak the language well. These vowels have their own sounds and, with tones, they help you say words the right way. Knowing them can make your vietnamese pronunciation better and help you understand more about the culture.

As you start to learn, try to practice as much as you can. Listen to how people say the words. Repeat after them, and use what you learn when you talk. Make sure to use all the resources we talked about to help you get better.

If you want more help with your vietnamese vowel pronunciation, you can ask for a free meeting to get tips that fit you best. Good luck, and have fun while you learn!

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Vietnamese vowels are hardest for English speakers to master?

For many English speakers, the vowels ‘ư’ and ‘ơ’ are hard to say. This is because they are distinct sounds that English does not have. The pronunciation needs new mouth and tongue moves that people are not used to. Also, it can be tough for beginners in English to tell the small differences in vowel groups like ‘a’, ‘ă’, and ‘â’.

Is there a Vietnamese vowel sound that does not exist in English?

Yes, some Vietnamese vowel sounds are not found in English. The best-known ones are ‘ư’ and ‘ơ’. These different sounds have a vowel quality that is new to English speakers. Learners have to make new mouth movements to say them the right way, because there is no direct match for these vowels in English words.

What are the main diphthongs and triphthongs in Vietnamese?

The Vietnamese language has many diphthongs and triphthongs. Some common diphthongs in Vietnamese are ‘ai’ (like “high”), ‘ao’ (like “how”), ‘iê’ (like “ear”), and ‘ưa’. The triphthongs are made by putting more vowel sounds together, like ‘ươi’ and ‘yêu’. These mixes of vowel sounds help make the vietnamese language sound melodic and different from other languages. You can really hear the distinct sounds in the way people speak vietnamese.

Are there any quick tips for learning Vietnamese vowel pronunciation?

To improve fast, try to listen to native speakers and copy how they say things. Use audio flashcards. This can help you learn how the written vowel sounds. You can also find out its tone. Record yourself and then listen to the native audio. See how the two sound. It is a good idea for beginners to practice in short, steady times. This works better than working for a long time, but not often.