English pronunciation guide
Phonetic Alphabet
English spelling does not always show us how a word is pronounced. Phonetic symbols represent the sounds we hear and help learners pronounce words more accurately.
This chart uses common British English phonemic forms. Pronunciation may vary between regions and accents.
Single vowel sounds
Vowels
Two vowel sounds joined together
Diphthongs
Sounds made by restricting airflow
Consonants
No matching sound found
Try another symbol, category, or example word.
Quick guide
How to read phonetic symbols
Symbols between slashes show the pronunciation of a word.
The mark ˈ appears before the stressed syllable.
The mark ˌ shows a weaker secondary stress.