Learning Guide

Phonetics Guide

Learn the sounds of English (GB) with our comprehensive IPA guide. Understand how each phoneme is pronounced with real word examples.

44 IPA Sounds|85,540 examples

Syllable Rules Morphology

Vowels

Monophthong vowel sounds

/ə/

Schwa - unstressed neutral vowel

9165

electroencephalographically/ˌɛlɛktrəʊˌɛnˌsɛfəˈlɒɡrəfɪkli/electroencephalographically/ˌɛlɛktrəʊˌɛnˌsɛfəˈlɒɡrəfɪkli/electroencephalographically/ˌɛlɛktrəʊˌɛnˌsɛfəˈlɒɡrəfɪkli/

/ɪ/

Short "i" sound as in "sit"

9161

electroencephalographically/ˌɛlɛktrəʊˌɛnˌsɛfəˈlɒɡrəfɪkli/pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis/ˌnjuːmənoʊˌʌltrəˌmaɪkrəˈskɒpɪkˌsɪlɪkoʊvɒlˌkeɪnoʊkoʊniˈoʊsɪs/pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis/ˌnjuːmənoʊˌʌltrəˌmaɪkrəˈskɒpɪkˌsɪlɪkoʊvɒlˌkeɪnoʊkoʊniˈoʊsɪs/

/ʊ/

Short "oo" sound as in "put"

3181

/e/

Short "e" sound as in "bed"

2344

electroencephalographically/ˌɛlɛktrəʊˌɛnˌsɛfəˈlɒɡrəfɪkli/pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis/ˌnjuːmənoʊˌʌltrəˌmaɪkrəˈskɒpɪkˌsɪlɪkoʊvɒlˌkeɪnoʊkoʊniˈoʊsɪs/dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane/ˌdaɪˌklɒrəʊˌdaɪˌfɛnɪlˌtraɪˌklɒrəʊˈiːθeɪn/

/æ/

"a" sound as in "cat"

2109

antidisestablishmentarianism/ˌæntiˌdɪsɪˌstæblɪʃmənˈtɛəriənɪzəm/antidisestablishmentarianism/ˌæntiˌdɪsɪˌstæblɪʃmənˈtɛəriənɪzəm/philosophicopsychological/ˌfɪləˈsɒfɪkəʊˌsaɪkəˈlɒdʒɪkəl/

/ɒ/

Short "o" sound as in "lot" (British)

1888

/iː/

Long "ee" sound as in "see"

1366

dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane/ˌdaɪˌklɒrəʊˌdaɪˌfɛnɪlˌtraɪˌklɒrəʊˈiːθeɪn/cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine/ˌsaɪ.kləʊˌtrɪmɪθɪˈliːnˌtriːnɪtrəˈmiːn/cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine/ˌsaɪ.kləʊˌtrɪmɪθɪˈliːnˌtriːnɪtrəˈmiːn/

/uː/

Long "oo" sound as in "too"

990

pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis/ˌnjuːmənoʊˌʌltrəˌmaɪkrəˈskɒpɪkˌsɪlɪkoʊvɒlˌkeɪnoʊkoʊniˈoʊsɪs/immunoelectrophoretically/ˌɪmjuːnoʊˌɛlɛktroʊfəˈrɛtɪkli/superincomprehensibleness/ˌsuːpəˌɪnkɒmprɪˌhenˈsɪbl̩nəs/

/ʌ/

"uh" sound as in "cup"

711

pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis/ˌnjuːmənoʊˌʌltrəˌmaɪkrəˈskɒpɪkˌsɪlɪkoʊvɒlˌkeɪnoʊkoʊniˈoʊsɪs/formaldehydesulphoxylate/ˌfɔːrmælˈdiːhaɪdˌsʌlfɒksɪleɪt/conico-subhemispherical/ˌkɒnɪkoʊˌsʌbˌhemɪˈsfɛrɪkəl/

/ɑː/

Long "ah" sound as in "father"

628

Mentor-on-the-Lake-Village/ˈmentər ɒn ðə leɪk ˈvɪlɪdʒ/Mentor-on-the-Lake-Village/ˈmentər ɒn ðə leɪk ˈvɪlɪdʒ/electroencephalographical/ˌɛlɪktrəʊˌɛnsefəˈlɒɡrəfɪkəl/

/ɔː/

Long "aw" sound as in "law"

437

hydroxydehydrocorticosterone/ˌhʌɪdrɒksiˌdiːhaɪdroʊkɔːrtɪˈkɒstɪroʊn/hydroxydesoxycorticosterone/ˌhaɪdrɒksiˌdiːsɒksiˌkɔːrtɪkoʊˈsteroʊn/Mentor-on-the-Lake-Village/ˈmentər ɒn ðə leɪk ˈvɪlɪdʒ/

/ɜː/

"er" sound as in "bird"

410

magnetothermoelectricity/ˌmæɡnɪtoʊθɜːmoʊɪˌlɛktrɪˈsɪti/preinferredpreinferring/ˌpriːɪnˈfɜːrd prɪnˈfɜːrɪŋ/preinferredpreinferring/ˌpriːɪnˈfɜːrd prɪnˈfɜːrɪŋ/

Diphthongs

Gliding vowel sounds

/əʊ/

Long "o" sound as in "go"

1135

electroencephalographically/ˌɛlɛktrəʊˌɛnˌsɛfəˈlɒɡrəfɪkli/dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane/ˌdaɪˌklɒrəʊˌdaɪˌfɛnɪlˌtraɪˌklɒrəʊˈiːθeɪn/dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane/ˌdaɪˌklɒrəʊˌdaɪˌfɛnɪlˌtraɪˌklɒrəʊˈiːθeɪn/

/aɪ/

Long "i" sound as in "my"

1121

pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis/ˌnjuːmənoʊˌʌltrəˌmaɪkrəˈskɒpɪkˌsɪlɪkoʊvɒlˌkeɪnoʊkoʊniˈoʊsɪs/dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane/ˌdaɪˌklɒrəʊˌdaɪˌfɛnɪlˌtraɪˌklɒrəʊˈiːθeɪn/dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane/ˌdaɪˌklɒrəʊˌdaɪˌfɛnɪlˌtraɪˌklɒrəʊˈiːθeɪn/

/eɪ/

Long "a" sound as in "day"

1036

pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis/ˌnjuːmənoʊˌʌltrəˌmaɪkrəˈskɒpɪkˌsɪlɪkoʊvɒlˌkeɪnoʊkoʊniˈoʊsɪs/dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane/ˌdaɪˌklɒrəʊˌdaɪˌfɛnɪlˌtraɪˌklɒrəʊˈiːθeɪn/straight-from-the-shoulder/streɪt frɒm ðə ˈʃoʊldə(r)/

/aʊ/

"ow" sound as in "now"

163

knock-down-and-drag-out/ˈnɒk daʊn ænd dræɡ aʊt/knock-down-and-drag-out/ˈnɒk daʊn ænd dræɡ aʊt/counterrevolutionaries/ˌkaʊn.tə.ˌrev.əˈluː.ʃə.nə.riːz/

/ɪə/

"ear" sound as in "near"

105

quasi-internationalistic/ˌkwɑːziːˌɪntəˌnæʃənəˈlɪstɪk/astrospherecentrosomic/ˈæstrəʊˌsfɪər.sɛn.trəʊˈsɒm.ɪk/phoneticohieroglyphic/ˌfəʊnɪˈtiːkəʊˌhaɪərəʊˈɡlɪfɪk/

/ɔɪ/

"oy" sound as in "boy"

thyroparathyroidectomize/ˌθaɪ.rəʊˌpærəˈθaɪ.rɔɪdˈɛk.tə.maɪz/scleroticochorioiditis/ˌsklɛrəʊtɪkoʊˌkɔːriˈɔɪdɪtɪs/thyroparathyroidectomy/ˌθaɪ.rəʊˌpær.əˌθaɪ.rɔɪdˈek.tə.mi/

/ʊə/

"oor" sound as in "tour"

pressure-reciprocating/ˈprɛʃ.ər ˈrɛs.ɪp.rə.keɪ.tɪŋ/ureterocystanastomosis/ˌjuːrɪtɪroʊˌsɪstəˌnæstəˈməʊsɪs/ureteropyelonephritis/ˌjuːrɪtəroʊˌpaɪəloʊnɪˈfaɪtɪs/

/eə/

"air" sound as in "hair"

aerobacteriologically/ˌeəroʊbækˌtɪəriəˈlɒdʒɪkli/superprecariousness/ˌsuːpəprɪˈkeəriəs.nəs/standard-bearership/ˈstændədˌbeərəʃɪp/

Consonants

Consonant sounds

/n/

Alveolar nasal

6483

/t/

Voiceless alveolar plosive

5751

electroencephalographically/ˌɛlɛktrəʊˌɛnˌsɛfəˈlɒɡrəfɪkli/pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis/ˌnjuːmənoʊˌʌltrəˌmaɪkrəˈskɒpɪkˌsɪlɪkoʊvɒlˌkeɪnoʊkoʊniˈoʊsɪs/dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane/ˌdaɪˌklɒrəʊˌdaɪˌfɛnɪlˌtraɪˌklɒrəʊˈiːθeɪn/

/s/

Voiceless alveolar fricative

5695

/l/

Alveolar lateral approximant

5384

/k/

Voiceless velar plosive

4463

/r/

Alveolar approximant

4440

electroencephalographically/ˌɛlɛktrəʊˌɛnˌsɛfəˈlɒɡrəfɪkli/electroencephalographically/ˌɛlɛktrəʊˌɛnˌsɛfəˈlɒɡrəfɪkli/pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis/ˌnjuːmənoʊˌʌltrəˌmaɪkrəˈskɒpɪkˌsɪlɪkoʊvɒlˌkeɪnoʊkoʊniˈoʊsɪs/

/d/

Voiced alveolar plosive

2607

dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane/ˌdaɪˌklɒrəʊˌdaɪˌfɛnɪlˌtraɪˌklɒrəʊˈiːθeɪn/dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane/ˌdaɪˌklɒrəʊˌdaɪˌfɛnɪlˌtraɪˌklɒrəʊˈiːθeɪn/hydroxydehydrocorticosterone/ˌhʌɪdrɒksiˌdiːhaɪdroʊkɔːrtɪˈkɒstɪroʊn/

/m/

Bilabial nasal

2475

pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis/ˌnjuːmənoʊˌʌltrəˌmaɪkrəˈskɒpɪkˌsɪlɪkoʊvɒlˌkeɪnoʊkoʊniˈoʊsɪs/pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis/ˌnjuːmənoʊˌʌltrəˌmaɪkrəˈskɒpɪkˌsɪlɪkoʊvɒlˌkeɪnoʊkoʊniˈoʊsɪs/cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine/ˌsaɪ.kləʊˌtrɪmɪθɪˈliːnˌtriːnɪtrəˈmiːn/

/p/

Voiceless bilabial plosive

2354

pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis/ˌnjuːmənoʊˌʌltrəˌmaɪkrəˈskɒpɪkˌsɪlɪkoʊvɒlˌkeɪnoʊkoʊniˈoʊsɪs/pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis/ˌnjuːmənoʊˌʌltrəˌmaɪkrəˈskɒpɪkˌsɪlɪkoʊvɒlˌkeɪnoʊkoʊniˈoʊsɪs/microspectrophotometrically/ˌmaɪ.krəʊˌspek.trəʊ.fəʊ.təʊ.mɪˈtrɪ.kəl.i/

/f/

Voiceless labiodental fricative

1653

electroencephalographically/ˌɛlɛktrəʊˌɛnˌsɛfəˈlɒɡrəfɪkli/electroencephalographically/ˌɛlɛktrəʊˌɛnˌsɛfəˈlɒɡrəfɪkli/dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane/ˌdaɪˌklɒrəʊˌdaɪˌfɛnɪlˌtraɪˌklɒrəʊˈiːθeɪn/

/ʃ/

"sh" sound as in "she"

1389

antidisestablishmentarianism/ˌæntiˌdɪsɪˌstæblɪʃmənˈtɛəriənɪzəm/straight-from-the-shoulder/streɪt frɒm ðə ˈʃoʊldə(r)/antidisestablishmentarian/ˌæntiˌdɪsɪˌstæblɪʃmənˈtɛəriən/

/z/

Voiced alveolar fricative

926

antidisestablishmentarianism/ˌæntiˌdɪsɪˌstæblɪʃmənˈtɛəriənɪzəm/disestablishmentarianism/ˌdɪsɪˌstæblɪʃˈmentəriənɪzəm/quasi-characteristically/ˌkweɪzi ˌkærəktəˈrɪstɪkli/

/b/

Voiced bilabial plosive

896

antidisestablishmentarianism/ˌæntiˌdɪsɪˌstæblɪʃmənˈtɛəriənɪzəm/antidisestablishmentarian/ˌæntiˌdɪsɪˌstæblɪʃmənˈtɛəriən/superincomprehensibleness/ˌsuːpəˌɪnkɒmprɪˌhenˈsɪbl̩nəs/

/v/

Voiced labiodental fricative

809

pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis/ˌnjuːmənoʊˌʌltrəˌmaɪkrəˈskɒpɪkˌsɪlɪkoʊvɒlˌkeɪnoʊkoʊniˈoʊsɪs/Mentor-on-the-Lake-Village/ˈmentər ɒn ðə leɪk ˈvɪlɪdʒ/Mentor-on-the-Lake-Village/ˈmentər ɒn ðə leɪk ˈvɪlɪdʒ/

/j/

"y" sound as in "yes"

699

pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis/ˌnjuːmənoʊˌʌltrəˌmaɪkrəˈskɒpɪkˌsɪlɪkoʊvɒlˌkeɪnoʊkoʊniˈoʊsɪs/alto-cumulus-castellatus/ˌæltəʊˈkjuːmələs kæstəˈleɪtəs/pseudointernationalistic/ˌsjuːdoʊˌɪntərnæʃəˈnælɪstɪk/

/w/

"w" sound as in "we"

601

squarroso-pinnatipartite/skwɑːˈrɒsoʊˌpɪnətiˈpɑːtɪteɪt/quasi-characteristically/ˌkweɪzi ˌkærəktəˈrɪstɪkli/quasi-extraterritorially/ˌkwɑː.ziː.ˌɛk.strəˌtɛr.ɪˈtɔː.ri.ə.li/

/θ/

Voiceless dental fricative (th as in "think")

581

dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane/ˌdaɪˌklɒrəʊˌdaɪˌfɛnɪlˌtraɪˌklɒrəʊˈiːθeɪn/cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine/ˌsaɪ.kləʊˌtrɪmɪθɪˈliːnˌtriːnɪtrəˈmiːn/trinitrophenylmethylnitramine/ˌtrɪ.nɪ.təʊˌfɛ.nɪlˌmɛθ.ɪlˌnɪ.trəˈmiːn/

/ʒ/

"zh" sound as in "measure"

538

Mentor-on-the-Lake-Village/ˈmentər ɒn ðə leɪk ˈvɪlɪdʒ/Mentor-on-the-Lake-Village/ˈmentər ɒn ðə leɪk ˈvɪlɪdʒ/regeneratoryregeneratress/ˌriːdʒɛnəˈreɪtəri rɪˌdʒɛnəˈtreɪs/

/dʒ/

"j" sound as in "judge"

528

/h/

Voiceless glottal fricative

485

hydroxydehydrocorticosterone/ˌhʌɪdrɒksiˌdiːhaɪdroʊkɔːrtɪˈkɒstɪroʊn/hydroxydehydrocorticosterone/ˌhʌɪdrɒksiˌdiːhaɪdroʊkɔːrtɪˈkɒstɪroʊn/hydroxydesoxycorticosterone/ˌhaɪdrɒksiˌdiːsɒksiˌkɔːrtɪkoʊˈsteroʊn/

/ŋ/

"ng" sound as in "sing"

420

preobtrudingpreobtrusion/ˌpriːəbˈtruːdɪŋˌpriːəbˈtruːʒən/blepharosphincterectomy/ˌblef.ə.rɒ.sfɪŋ.ktəˈrek.tə.mi/consciousness-expanding/ˈkɒnʃəsnəsɪksˈpændɪŋ/

/tʃ/

"ch" sound as in "church"

226

analytico-architectural/ˌænəˈlɪtɪkoʊˌɑːkɪˈtɛktʃərəl/overintellectualization/ˌəʊvəˌɪntelˌektʃuːəlaɪˈzeɪʃən/noninterchangeableness/ˌnɒnɪntɜːtʃeɪndʒəblnəs/

/ð/

Voiced dental fricative (th as in "this")

101

straight-from-the-shoulder/streɪt frɒm ðə ˈʃoʊldə(r)/Mentor-on-the-Lake-Village/ˈmentər ɒn ðə leɪk ˈvɪlɪdʒ/lymphangioendothelioma/ˌlɪmfæŋdʒiːoʊˌɛndoʊθiːˈliːoʊmə/

/g/

Voiced velar plosive

quasi-irregularly/ˈkweɪzi ɪrˈregjʊləli/

Common Patterns

Frequent phonetic patterns

starts with "tr"100 words

trinitrophenylmethylnitramine transubstantiationalist trifluorochloromethane

starts with "pr"97 words

preobtrudingpreobtrusion preinferredpreinferring pressure-reciprocating

starts with "st"87 words

straight-from-the-shoulder straight-line-frequency stream-of-consciousness

starts with "sp"61 words

spectrophotometrically sphygmomanometrically spinulosodenticulate

starts with "str"29 words

straight-from-the-shoulder straight-line-frequency stream-of-consciousness

starts with "pl"29 words

plagioclase-porphyrite platydolichocephalous plagioclase-porphyry

starts with "cr"25 words

crystalloluminescence cryptocrystallization crystallographically

starts with "br"21 words

bras-dessus-bras-dessous brigantinebrigantines bronchoaspergillosis

starts with "thr"17 words

three-and-a-halfpenny thrall-likethrallborn three-dimensionalness

starts with "bl"11 words

blepharosphincterectomy blepharoconjunctivitis blepharochromidrosis

starts with "gr"9 words

grammatico-allegorical graduate-professional graft-hybridization

starts with "cl"8 words

clothes-consciousness clinicopathologically climatotherapeutics

starts with "fl"8 words

flames-of-the-woods Fliegerabwehrkanone flame-of-the-forest

starts with "sl"7 words

slaughter-threatening slaughter-breathing slender-shouldered

starts with "gl"7 words

glossolabiopharyngeal glossolabiolaryngeal glottochronological

starts with "sw"7 words

sweet-dispositioned sweet-temperedness swelled-headedness

starts with "sn"3 words

snailfishessnailflower snow-on-the-mountain snowy-countenanced

starts with "sm"3 words

smoke-consumptive smooth-foreheaded smooth-sculptured

starts with "fr"2 words

frequency-modulated fresh-complexioned

starts with "spr"1 words

spring-blossoming