Cluster clues and silent tails
Recognise true clusters, irregular ทร and cancellation.
Meet the letters
Tap a card and listen. Try saying it too.
i
cancellation mark. Marks silent letters; sometimes a group is silent.
จันทร์Hear it in จันทร์ · จันทร์i
phinthu. A dot below, chiefly in Pali/Sanskrit or pronunciation guides; uncommon in everyday Thai.
กฺWords to read

ปลา
fishplaa →
กลัว
be afraidklua
ขวา
right, directionkhwǎaทราย
sandsaai
จันทร์
moon / Monday in วันจันทร์chanกฺ
Reference consonant with phinthu: no separate soundPrinted spelling exampleReading tips
์ · cancellation mark · Marks silent letters; sometimes a group is silent.
ฺ · phinthu · A dot below, chiefly in Pali/Sanskrit or pronunciation guides; uncommon in everyday Thai.
Common true initial clusters join ก ข ค ต ป ผ พ with selected ร ล ว. Read the first consonant plus r, l or w, then the vowel. The first consonant controls the tone. Not every consonant pair is a cluster.
For example, ปลา reads plaa and กลัว reads klua. In many words ทร is pronounced s, such as ทราย (saai), but in some loans it is a true tr cluster. Consult the word’s pronunciation.
์ cancels a consonant or consonant group in many borrowed spellings. In จันทร์, ทร์ is silent; final น supplies n. Do not confuse cancellation ์ with the shortener ็ or any tone mark.
Reading practice
Find the sign in its syllable
Match each sign or pattern to its highlighted position. The dash stands for the consonant.
Find the sound
Listen, then match the sign. The helper vowel belongs to the letter clip.
Read with support
Match the words to their pictures.
Read with support
Match the words to their meanings.
Read without a sound cue
Match the words to their pictures.
Read without a sound cue
Match the words to their meanings.
Sound to spelling
Listen. Choose the spelling.
Spelling to sound
Read the word. Choose its sound.
Sound to spelling
Listen. Choose the spelling.
Spelling to sound
Read the word. Choose its sound.
Read and decide
Which consonant controls tone in ขวา?
Read and decide
Read the familiar irregular ทร in ทราย.
Read and decide
What is silent in จันทร์?
Build the word
Listen and build the word in typing order.

Recall the spelling
Listen and build the word without its picture.
Build the word
Listen and build the word in typing order.

Recall the spelling
Listen and build the word without its picture.
Build the word
Listen and build the word in typing order.

Recall the spelling
Listen and build the word without its picture.
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Recognise true clusters, irregular ทร and cancellation.

ปลา
fish
กลัว
be afraid
ขวา
right, directionทราย
sand
จันทร์
moon / Monday in วันจันทร์กฺ
Reference consonant with phinthu: no separate sound