Lesson Three: Sip and Zip

This lesson teaches the pronunciation for the sounds /s/ and /z/.

The /s/ in English is also found in the Vietnamese language in words like xe, xin, xem, and xoài. The "x" in Vietnamese is often very similar to the /s/ sound in English. The /z/ sound is found in the Northern dialect of Vietnamese speakers. The /z/ sound is found in words such as cái gì, bao giờ, giây. Don't confuse these sounds with the way these words are pronounced in the south.

Practice listening to this video first until you can hear the difference in the two sounds. Remember that the /s/ sound is voiceless and is made by pushing air through a small space in the roof of your mouth. The /z/ sound is voiced and is made with your mouth and tongue in the same position but the sound comes from air over your vocal chords.