/iː/
Recording: the sound or combination
Keep the tongue high and forward, with relaxed spread lips. Hold the vowel.
- see /siː/
- green /ɡriːn/
In American English
Written /i/, without ː.
see/si/
English phonetic symbols
British and American English IPA chart with audio for every sound, example words and how to read phonetic symbols.
Transcription records sounds, not spelling. This chart uses a traditional British English model. Pronunciation varies between accents; some modern British vowels differ from these recordings.
This chart uses American English. It includes vowels, consonants, r-colored sounds and combinations, plus two common consonant variants. Regional accents and dictionary symbols may differ.
How to read the symbols
- / /
Sounds, not letters: one symbol for each sound. The k in knee is silent.
knee/niː/
- ˈ
Main stress. The mark goes before the stressed syllable, not above the vowel.
able/ˈeɪbl/ability/əˈbɪləti/
- ˌ
Secondary stress: a weaker beat that comes before the main stress.
abbreviation/əˌbriːviˈeɪʃn/
- ː
Long vowel. It differs in quality too, not only in length.
sit/sɪt/seat/siːt/
- ə
The most common English sound. It appears only in unstressed syllables and can stand for any vowel letter.
about/əˈbaʊt/teacher/ˈtiːtʃə/
- i u
Without ː: a weak unstressed vowel between /iː/ and /ɪ/, or between /uː/ and /ʊ/.
happy/ˈhæpi/actual/ˈæktʃuəl/
- ( )
A sound in parentheses may be dropped. Most often it is /ə/ before /l/, /n/, /m/ or /r/, which is left out in everyday speech.
action/ˈækʃ(ə)n/actually/ˈæk(t)ʃuəli/
- (r)
In British English this r is heard only when the next word starts with a vowel. Americans always pronounce it.
far/fɑː(r)/far away
- n l
At the end of a word with no vowel before them, the consonant forms its own syllable.
button/ˈbʌtn/final/ˈfaɪnl/
Vowels
/ɪ/
Recording: the sound or combination
A short relaxed vowel; lower the tongue slightly from /iː/.
- sit /sɪt/
- fish /fɪʃ/
/ʊ/
Recording: the sound or combination
Round the lips gently and make a short relaxed vowel.
- book /bʊk/
- good /ɡʊd/
/uː/
Recording: the sound or combination
Round the lips and hold the vowel. Do not add a consonant.
- food /fuːd/
- blue /bluː/
In American English
Written /u/.
food/fud/
/e/
Recording: the sound or combination
Open the mouth a little; keep the tongue toward the front.
- bed /bed/
- head /hed/
In American English
Written /ɛ/.
bed/bɛd/
/ə/
Recording: the sound or combination
A very relaxed unstressed vowel. Keep the tongue in a neutral position.
- about /əˈbaʊt/
- teacher /ˈtiːtʃə/
In American English
Before r it becomes /ɚ/ (or /ər/).
teacher/ˈtitʃɚ/
/ɜː/
Recording: the sound or combination
Hold a central vowel with relaxed lips. In this British model, do not pronounce an r.
- bird /bɜːd/
- learn /lɜːn/
In American English
/ɝ/, with r (or /ɜːr/).
bird/bɝd/
/ɔː/
Recording: the sound or combination
Round the lips and hold an open back vowel.
- law /lɔː/
- thought /θɔːt/
In American English
Usually /ɔ/, often like /ɑ/.
law/lɔ/
/æ/
Recording: the sound or combination
Open the jaw wider than for /e/; keep the tongue at the front.
- cat /kæt/
- bad /bæd/
/ʌ/
Recording: the sound or combination
Make a short central vowel with unrounded lips. Follow the English recording, not the letter u.
- cup /kʌp/
- love /lʌv/
/ɑː/
Recording: the sound or combination
Open the mouth and hold a back vowel. No final r in this British model.
- car /kɑː/
- father /ˈfɑːðə/
In American English
/æ/ in bath, ask, can't.
bath/bæθ/
/ɒ/
Recording: the sound or combination
A short open back vowel with gently rounded lips.
- hot /hɒt/
- dog /dɒɡ/
In American English
Not used; usually /ɑ/.
hot/hɑt/
Diphthongs
/ɪə/
Recording: the sound or combination
Move from /ɪ/ toward /ə/ in one syllable.
- near /nɪə/
- here /hɪə/
In American English
/ɪr/.
near/nɪr/
/eɪ/
Recording: the sound or combination
Start near /e/ and glide toward /ɪ/, without a separate syllable.
- day /deɪ/
- face /feɪs/
/ʊə/
Recording: the sound or combination
Move from /ʊ/ toward /ə/. Many British speakers use /ɔː/ in words such as tour.
- pure /pjʊə/
- tour /tʊə/
In American English
/ʊr/.
pure/pjʊr/
/ɔɪ/
Recording: the sound or combination
Start with rounded lips, then glide toward /ɪ/.
- boy /bɔɪ/
- choice /tʃɔɪs/
/əʊ/
Recording: the sound or combination
Start with a central vowel and glide toward /ʊ/, rounding the lips.
- go /ɡəʊ/
- home /həʊm/
In American English
Written /oʊ/.
go/ɡoʊ/
/eə/
Recording: the sound or combination
In this traditional model, glide from /e/ toward /ə/. Modern British pronunciation may use a long single vowel.
- hair /heə/
- care /keə/
In American English
/ɛr/.
hair/hɛr/
/aɪ/
Recording: the sound or combination
Start with the mouth open and glide toward /ɪ/.
- my /maɪ/
- time /taɪm/
/aʊ/
Recording: the sound or combination
Start with the mouth open and glide toward /ʊ/, rounding the lips.
- now /naʊ/
- mouth /maʊθ/
Consonants
/p/
Recording: the whole word: pack
Close both lips, then release the air. Keep the voice off.
- pack /pæk/
- pen /pen/
/b/
Recording: the whole word: back
Close both lips and release, using your voice.
- back /bæk/
- book /bʊk/
/t/
Recording: the whole word: tin
Touch the ridge behind the upper teeth with the tongue tip, then release. No voice.
- tin /tɪn/
- top /tɒp/
In American English
Between vowels it often sounds like a quick d.
waterbetter
/d/
Recording: the whole word: did
Use the same tongue position as /t/, with voice.
- did /dɪd/
- day /deɪ/
/tʃ/
Recording: the whole word: church
Stop the air, then release into /ʃ/ as one consonant. No voice.
- church /tʃɜːtʃ/
- chair /tʃeə/
/dʒ/
Recording: the whole word: judge
Like /tʃ/, but with voice throughout the consonant.
- judge /dʒʌdʒ/
- job /dʒɒb/
/k/
Recording: the whole word: came
Lift the back of the tongue to the soft palate, then release. No voice.
- came /keɪm/
- cat /kæt/
/g/
Recording: the whole word: glue
Use the same tongue position as /k/, with voice.
- glue /ɡluː/
- go /ɡəʊ/
/f/
Recording: the whole word: fat
Touch the lower lip lightly with the upper teeth and let air pass. No voice.
- fat /fæt/
- fish /fɪʃ/
/v/
Recording: the whole word: very
Use the same mouth position as /f/, with voice.
- very /ˈveri/
- voice /vɔɪs/
/θ/
Recording: the whole word: thin
Place the tongue tip lightly between the teeth and blow air. No voice.
- thin /θɪn/
- think /θɪŋk/
/ð/
Recording: the whole word: this
Keep the tongue lightly between the teeth, as for /θ/, and add voice.
- this /ðɪs/
- they /ðeɪ/
/s/
Recording: the whole word: soon
Keep a narrow air channel near the upper teeth. No voice.
- soon /suːn/
- see /siː/
/z/
Recording: the whole word: zero
Use the same tongue position as /s/, with voice.
- zero /ˈzɪərəʊ/
- zoo /zuː/
/ʃ/
Recording: the whole word: ship
Move the tongue slightly back from /s/ and round the lips a little. No voice.
- ship /ʃɪp/
- shop /ʃɒp/
/ʒ/
Recording: the whole word: vision
Use the same mouth position as /ʃ/, with voice.
- vision /ˈvɪʒən/
- measure /ˈmeʒə/
/m/
Recording: the whole word: more
Close the lips and let voiced air pass through the nose.
- more /mɔː/
- moon /muːn/
/n/
Recording: the whole word: nice
Touch the ridge behind the upper teeth with the tongue and let voiced air pass through the nose.
- nice /naɪs/
- name /neɪm/
/ŋ/
Recording: the whole word: rung
Raise the back of the tongue to the soft palate and let air pass through the nose. Do not add /ɡ/ in sing.
- rung /rʌŋ/
- sing /sɪŋ/
/h/
Recording: the whole word: hot
Breathe out gently into the following vowel. Do not make a strong throat friction.
- hot /hɒt/
- head /hed/
/l/
Recording: the whole word: light
Touch the ridge behind the upper teeth with the tongue tip; air goes around its sides.
- light /laɪt/
- leg /leɡ/
/r/
Recording: the whole word: right
Raise the tongue toward the roof without touching it. Do not tap or trill.
- right /raɪt/
- red /red/
In American English
Pronounced after vowels too.
car/kɑr/
/w/
Recording: the whole word: wet
Round the lips, then move quickly into the vowel. Do not touch the lips with the teeth.
- wet /wet/
- we /wiː/
/j/
Recording: the whole word: yet
Raise the front of the tongue near the roof, then glide into the vowel. The symbol /j/ is not /dʒ/.
- yet /jet/
- yes /jes/
In American English
Often dropped after t, d, n.
tune/tun/new/nu/
Audio: LetsWords
Vowels
/i/
Recording: the sound or combination
Keep the tongue high and forward. The lips are gently spread.
- be /bi/
In British English
Written /iː/.
see/siː/
/ɪ/
Recording: the sound or combination
Relax the tongue slightly lower than for /i/. Compare it with the vowel in be.
- it /ɪt/
/ɛ/
Recording: the sound or combination
Keep the tongue toward the front and open the jaw moderately.
- bed /bɛd/
In British English
Written /e/.
bed/bed/
/æ/
Recording: the sound or combination
Keep the tongue forward and open the jaw wider than for /ɛ/ in bed.
- cat /kæt/
In British English
/ɑː/ in bath, ask, can't.
bath/bɑːθ/
/ə/
Recording: the sound or combination
A very relaxed unstressed vowel. Keep the tongue in a neutral position.
- ago /əˈɡoʊ/
/ʌ/
Recording: the sound or combination
Make a short central vowel with unrounded lips. Follow the English recording, not the letter u.
- us /ʌs/
/ɑ/
Recording: the sound or combination
Open the jaw, keep the tongue low and the lips unrounded. Many American speakers also use this vowel in words such as caught.
- got /ɡɑt/
In British English
/ɒ/ as in hot, or /ɑː/ as in father.
hot/hɒt/father/ˈfɑːðə/
/u/
Recording: the sound or combination
Round the lips and keep the tongue high. Do not add a consonant.
- blue /blu/
In British English
Written /uː/.
food/fuːd/
/ʊ/
Recording: the sound or combination
Round the lips gently and make a short relaxed vowel.
- put /pʊt/
/ɔ/
Recording: the sound or combination
Keep the tongue low and toward the back, with rounded lips. Some American accents distinguish /ɔ/ from /ɑ/; others merge them.
- on /ɔn/
In British English
/ɔː/.
law/lɔː/
Diphthongs
/eɪ/
Recording: the sound or combination
Start near /e/ and glide toward /ɪ/, without a separate syllable.
- make /meɪk/
/oʊ/
Recording: the sound or combination
Start with rounded lips and glide toward /ʊ/ within one syllable.
- go /ɡoʊ/
In British English
Written /əʊ/.
go/ɡəʊ/
/aɪ/
Recording: the sound or combination
Start with the mouth open and glide toward /ɪ/.
- like /laɪk/
/aʊ/
Recording: the sound or combination
Start with the mouth open and glide toward /ʊ/, rounding the lips.
- cloud /klaʊd/
/ɔɪ/
Recording: the sound or combination
Start with rounded lips, then glide toward /ɪ/.
- boy /bɔɪ/
R-colored vowels and combinations
/ɝ/
Recording: the sound or combination
This is a stressed r-colored vowel, as in first. Raise or curl the tongue without touching the roof of the mouth; do not trill. It may also be written /ɜr/ or /ɜːr/.
- first /fɝst/
In British English
/ɜː/, without r.
bird/bɜːd/
/ɚ/
Recording: the sound or combination
An unstressed r-colored vowel, as at the end of after. Keep the sound relaxed. Some dictionaries write /ər/.
- after /ˈæftɚ/
In British English
/ə/, without r.
teacher/ˈtiːtʃə/
/ɪr/
Recording: the sound or combination
Move from /ɪ/ into American /r/ without a tongue tap. This is a vowel–r combination, not a separate basic vowel.
- hero /ˈhɪroʊ/
In British English
/ɪə/.
near/nɪə/
/ɛr/
Recording: the sound or combination
Move from /ɛ/ into American /r/ without a tongue tap. This is a vowel–r combination, not a separate basic vowel.
- chair /tʃɛr/
In British English
/eə/.
hair/heə/
/ɑr/
Recording: the sound or combination
Move from /ɑ/ into American /r/ without a tongue tap. This is a vowel–r combination, not a separate basic vowel.
- car /kɑr/
In British English
/ɑː/.
car/kɑː/
/ɔr/
Recording: the sound or combination
Move from /ɔ/ into American /r/ without a tongue tap. This is a vowel–r combination, not a separate basic vowel.
- sport /spɔrt/
In British English
/ɔː/.
sport/spɔːt/
/aɪr/
Recording: the sound or combination
Move from /aɪ/ into American /r/ without a tongue tap. This is a vowel–r combination, not a separate basic vowel.
- fire /faɪr/
In British English
/aɪə/.
fire/ˈfaɪə/
Consonants
/p/
Recording: the sound or combination
Close both lips, then release the air. Keep the voice off.
- pie /paɪ/
/b/
Recording: the sound or combination
Close both lips and release, using your voice.
- boy /bɔɪ/
/t/
Recording: the sound or combination
Touch the ridge behind the upper teeth with the tongue tip, then release. No voice.
- toy /tɔɪ/
/d/
Recording: the sound or combination
Use the same tongue position as /t/, with voice.
- dog /dɔɡ/
/k/
Recording: the sound or combination
Lift the back of the tongue to the soft palate, then release. No voice.
- key /ki/
/ɡ/
Recording: the sound or combination
Use the same tongue position as /k/, with voice.
- gift /ɡɪft/
/f/
Recording: the sound or combination
Touch the lower lip lightly with the upper teeth and let air pass. No voice.
- fun /fʌn/
/v/
Recording: the sound or combination
Use the same mouth position as /f/, with voice.
- very /ˈvɛri/
/θ/
Recording: the sound or combination
Place the tongue tip lightly between the teeth and blow air. No voice.
- think /θɪŋk/
/ð/
Recording: the sound or combination
Keep the tongue lightly between the teeth, as for /θ/, and add voice.
- this /ðɪs/
/s/
Recording: the sound or combination
Keep a narrow air channel near the upper teeth. No voice.
- sun /sʌn/
/z/
Recording: the sound or combination
Use the same tongue position as /s/, with voice.
- zoo /zu/
/ʃ/
Recording: the sound or combination
Move the tongue slightly back from /s/ and round the lips a little. No voice.
- show /ʃoʊ/
/ʒ/
Recording: the sound or combination
Use the same mouth position as /ʃ/, with voice.
- vision /ˈvɪʒən/
/h/
Recording: the sound or combination
Breathe out gently into the following vowel. Do not make a strong throat friction.
- home /hoʊm/
/tʃ/
Recording: the sound or combination
Stop the air, then release into /ʃ/ as one consonant. No voice.
- chair /tʃɛr/
/dʒ/
Recording: the sound or combination
Like /tʃ/, but with voice throughout the consonant.
- job /dʒɑb/
/n/
Recording: the sound or combination
Touch the ridge behind the upper teeth with the tongue and let voiced air pass through the nose.
- nice /naɪs/
/m/
Recording: the sound or combination
Close the lips and let voiced air pass through the nose.
- map /mæp/
/ŋ/
Recording: the sound or combination
Raise the back of the tongue to the soft palate and let air pass through the nose. Do not add /ɡ/ in sing.
- thing /θɪŋ/
/l/
Recording: the sound or combination
Touch the ridge behind the upper teeth with the tongue tip; air goes around its sides.
- let /lɛt/
/r/
Recording: the sound or combination
Raise the tongue toward the roof without touching it. Do not tap or trill.
- run /rʌn/
In British English
Silent after a vowel.
car/kɑː/
/w/
Recording: the sound or combination
Round the lips, then move quickly into the vowel. Do not touch the lips with the teeth.
- way /weɪ/
/j/
Recording: the sound or combination
Raise the front of the tongue near the roof, then glide into the vowel. The symbol /j/ is not /dʒ/.
- yes /jɛs/
In British English
Kept after t, d, n.
tune/tjuːn/new/njuː/
Consonant variants
/t̬/
Recording: the sound or combination
A quick tongue tap, common in American water and city. Touch the ridge behind the upper teeth briefly. Also written [ɾ]; this is a pronunciation variant of /t/ or /d/.
- water /ˈwɔt̬ɚ/
In British English
A clear /t/.
water/ˈwɔːtə/
/ʔ/
Recording: the sound or combination
Briefly close and release the airflow in the throat, as between the parts of uh-oh. It can replace /t/ in words such as button in some pronunciations.
- button /ˈbʌʔn̩/
In British English
Also common, as in football and button.
footballbutton
Audio: LetsWords
Sources
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