Technology

How to Telex on a Computer: Pros, Cons, and Basic Telex Typing Rules

Telex typing method for computers is the fastest way to remove Vietnamese accents, it is significantly more efficient than the previously popular VNI typing style. Currently, Telex is also the most popular Vietnamese typing method supported in all typing software as well as Vietnamese-enabled devices.

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6 May, 2024

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This article will go over how to use the telex typing method on a computer, as well as the advantages, disadvantages, and regulations for using the method.

What is Telex Typing?

Telex typing is widely used to write Vietnamese on a computer keyboard. This method is a system used to change the characters by using the normal English keyboard, it is created to imitate the pronunciation of the Vietnamese language. This method is common because it lets the user input text quickly without having to use a keyboard that has specific Vietnamese characters.

Here’s how telex typing works:

Typing a character with a mark: Vietnamese has some characters that English does not have such as đ, â, ô, ă, ư, ơ. In order to type the letter đ you would type dd; to type the letter â or ô you would type aa, oo; to type ă, ư, ơ you would type aw, uw, ow.
Typing the tone: The tones in Vietnamese are also entered by adding different characters. For example, the sharp tone is typed by adding “s”, the flat tone is added with “f”, the question tone is added with “r”, the tilde is added with “x”, and the heavy tone is added with “j”.

For example:

To type “Việt Nam”, you would type “Vieejt Nam”.
To type “hỏi”, you would type “hoir”.

Pros and Cons of Telex Typing on a Computer

Pros of Telex Typing

Telex typing is considered to be quick and extremely easy to use. Typing telex on a computer allows us to use any international keyboard without having to have one with specific characters.

Using characters that are on the letter keys to add a mark is also quicker than using the VNI typing method that uses numbers to add a mark. However, in the early 2000s the VNI typing method was popular, many people continue to use this method and have a difficult time changing their habit.

Cons of Telex Typing

Because the method is based on adding on extra characters, the user may encounter errors when typing quickly. Also, if you are switching between typing in English and Vietnamese this method can cause some problems when it adds marks to English words.

Why should I use Telex Typing?

Telex typing is one of the most common input methods for Vietnamese and is used by many people for many reasons. The first is that Telex typing is widely supported by most operating systems and Vietnamese input applications, including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and many text editing systems. This ensures that you can easily type in Vietnamese without any compatibility issues.

Because of its flexibility and ease of use, telex typing is suitable for both beginners, and experienced users. It is also helpful for situations that require quick typing, such as online communication, drafting documents, and sending emails.

Overall, Telex typing is a powerful and convenient tool for inputting Vietnamese, that helps users maintain productivity and efficiency in their work and daily communication.

How to type Telex on your computer

Telex typing is available in most Vietnamese typing programs from Unikey, EVKey, OpenKey… to the default Vietnamese typing programs in Windows, macOS… Here are the steps on how to type Telex on a Windows computer using the popular and familiar Unikey typing program.

Step 1: First, you must make sure that the Unikey typing program has been installed on your computer. Start the program.

Step 2: After opening the Unikey typing program, choose Telex in the Typing Method box and click Close. Do not click Exit, the application will close and you will not be able to use the Vietnamese typing program.

If you have completed the two steps above and you still cannot type in Vietnamese, check if the icon on the Taskbar has changed to a V or if it is still an E. If it is on E, just click on it to change it to a V and try again.

Rules for using Telex typing to type Vietnamese

In order to effectively use Telex typing in Vietnamese you must learn the basic rules on how to correctly type vowel marks, and tones. Here is a detailed guide:

How to type a vowel with a mark

To type â, add “a” after the vowel “a” (for example: “aa” → â).
To type ê, add “e” after the vowel “e” (for example: “ee” → ê).
To type ô, add “o” after the vowel “o” (for example: “oo” → ô).
To type ă, add “w” after the vowel “a” (for example: “aw” → ă).
To type ơ, add “w” after the vowel “o” (for example: “ow” → ơ).
To type ư, add “w” after the vowel “u” (for example: “uw” → ư).
To type ươ, add “w” after typing “uo” (for example: “uow” → ươ).

How to type a tone

Sharp (´): add “s” after the vowel (for example: “as” → á, “es” → é).
Flat (`): add “f” after the vowel (for example: “af” → à, “ef” → è).
Question (?): add “r” after the vowel (for example: “ar” → ả, “ur” → ủ).
Tilde (~): add “x” after the vowel (for example: “ax” → ã, “ex” → ẽ).
Heavy (.): add “j” after the vowel (for example: “aj” → ạ, “oj” → ọ).

How to type special consonants

To type đ, use “dd” (for example: “dd” → đ).

Conclusion

This covers everything you need to know about how to type Telex on a computer, the rules for adding marks when using Telex typing, as well as the pros and cons of using this typing method. If you are using the VNI typing method, try to make a habit of switching to Telex typing, your typing speed will significantly increase.

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Frequently asked questions

Telex typing is a method used to type Vietnamese characters on a standard English QWERTY keyboard. It allows users to mimic the pronunciation of Vietnamese and quickly input text without needing a specialized keyboard with Vietnamese characters.

In Telex typing, you create Vietnamese characters by adding extra letters. For example, to type ‘đ’, you’d type ‘dd’. For characters with marks like ‘â’ or ‘ô’, you type ‘aa’ or ‘oo’. Tones are added with specific letters, like ‘s’ for a sharp tone, ‘f’ for a flat tone, and so on.

Telex typing is quick and easy, especially for English keyboard users. It’s widely supported by operating systems and Vietnamese input apps, ensuring compatibility. It’s flexible, suitable for beginners and experts, and useful for fast typing in online communication or document drafting.

The main downside is that it relies on adding extra characters, which can lead to errors when typing quickly. If you switch between English and Vietnamese, Telex may cause issues by adding marks to English words.

Telex typing is one of the most common input methods for Vietnamese due to its wide support and ease of use. It’s flexible and suitable for all skill levels. It boosts productivity by allowing quick Vietnamese text input without the need for a specialized keyboard.

Telex typing is available on most Vietnamese typing programs like Unikey, EVKey, OpenKey, and default programs in Windows and macOS. For Windows with Unikey, install and open the program, select ‘Telex’ from the ‘Typing Method’ box, and ensure the Taskbar icon changes to ‘V’ for active Vietnamese input.

To type a vowel with a mark, add a specific letter after the vowel. For tones, add specific characters after the vowel; sharp tone (‘s’), flat tone (‘f’), question tone (‘r’), tilde (‘x’), heavy tone (‘j’). Refer to the detailed guide for all rules.

Yes, to type the letter ‘đ’, use ‘dd’. Refer to the detailed guide for all the rules on typing special consonants and letters in the Telex method.