Speech Tools · Reference

The International Phonetic Alphabet

One symbol for every sound a human language uses. Across the top, where in the mouth it happens. Down the side, what the air is doing. Two in a cell are the same sound with the voice off and on, and a hatched cell is an articulation judged impossible. Tap any symbol.

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Bilabial
Labio​dental
Dental
Alveolar
Post​alveolar
Retroflex
Palatal
Velar
Uvular
Pharyngeal
Glottal
Plosive
Nasal
Trill
Tap or flap
Fricative
Lateral fricative
Approximant
Lateral approximant
FrontCentralBack
Close
Near-close
Close-mid
Mid
Open-mid
Near-open
Open
Clicks
Voiced implosives
Ejectives
Other symbols
Affricates, written with a tie bar
Suprasegmentals
Diacritics
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