Please assist me?

[MenaKatep]

I am currently trying to learn Vietnamese from an exchange student living in my town. I know some things, but am having trouble: mostly pronunciation. I can see a Vietnamese word and recognize yet I don't understand how to say it. Does anyone have any tips?



Also is there anyone who would be willing to help me learn? Is there somewhere specific I should start?

P.S. I have learned a language before. I am fluent in German, have about 3 years of Spanish under my belt, and about 4 years of Japanese. Yet this is a most difficult language.

Thanks

Me.

[chinae3010]

In fact, the vietnamese pronunciation is not very difficult. We have fixed rules for pronunciation that is called "danh' van" ( it's not clear here because I cannot type the VNI font). So if u can pronounce correctly all the letters in the vienamese alphabet and u need some more practice, I'm sure u'll be able to pronounce any words that u meet, even the first time. For this part, the pronunciation of vietnamese is easier than that of english because when we study E, we have to study the pronunciation of every words. However, the foreigners of V always have problems with our 6 tons. And of cours, u have to practice, speaking and even listening to the natives to get used to the accent.
Clearly, u need someone to help u with ur study.
U can ask ur friend with whom u are studying V.
Or u can contact me. I'm glad to help.
chinae3010@yahoo.com

[MenaKatep]

Ok. I understand the tones, and the sounds they make. I can understand when my friend talks to me. Yet, when I try to imitate the tone it does not sound correct.
For example

Bạn có khỏe không?
------------------------------
I have no problem saying that. The tones are easy. I meant to say I have trouble with some of these tones.

To clarify.

ă - Makes an "uh" sound
â - I am unsure
ê - Also unsure
ô - Like "ow"
ư - This and...
ơ - This confuse me. The sounds seem unnatural. Do any English words equate?

Here is my e-mail rogoun@mena-star.info
Any help you could give me would be wonderful!

[ben.wills]

ă - The sound you make when something hurt you very much (aahhhh with rising, high pitch, not the aahhhh that the dentist asks you to say when he examine your throat.)

â - similiar to the suffix -er in English but with a rising pitch to high pitch, similiar to the way you rise the pitch in ă vs a.

ê - This is quite hard to describe by words. We use it to call someone like "hey" in english, it sounds a bit like "hey" or "hee" also but without the "h" before the vowel.

ô - Like "ow" or "oh" (in 'Oh I see')

ư - Hard to describe. Maybe like this: the sound you make with your two jaws are close to each other when you're angry that you cannot do something you want to do, but softer a bit (that means minus the angry tone)

ơ - This is the same as the suffix -er in English

[MenaKatep]

Wow! Ok thanks! The reply is like unbelievably late, but it's very helpful. xD
=]
You should be my e-mail instructor. That is, if you would be able to.
Anyways, thank you again.

Mena