Summary The Basics of the International Phonetic Alphabet

Name of
Symbol Example Voice AA PA Manner
Place
p Pig Voiceless Lower lip Upper lip Bilabial Plosive
b Bent Voiced Lower lip Upper lip Bilabial Plosive
Top or back of
t Tank Voiceless Alveolar ridge Alveolar Plosive
tongue
Top or back of
d Dale Voiced Alveolar ridge Alveolar Plosive
tongue
k Kind Voiceless Back of tongue Velum Velar Plosive
g Grind Voiced Back of tongue Velum Velar Plosive

f Fun Voiceless Lower lip Upper teeth Labiodental Fricative




Obstruents
v Vole Voiced Lower lip Upper teeth Labiodental Fricative
θ Theory Voiceless Tip of tongue Back of teeth Dental Fricative
ð They Voiced Tip of tongue Back of teeth Dental Fricative
Top or blade of
s Soon Voiceless Alveolar ridge Alveolar Fricative
tongue
Top or blade of
z Zen Voiced Alveolar ridge Alveolar Fricative
tongue
Just behind
ʃ Ship Voiceless Blade of tongue Postalveolar Fricative
alveolar ridge
Just behind
ʒ Pleasure Voiced Blade of tongue Postalveolar Fricative
alveolar ridge

Just behind
ʧ Cherub Voiceless Blade of tongue Postalveolar Affricate
alveolar ridge
Just behind
ʤ June Voiced Blade of tongue Postalveolar Affricate
alveolar ridge

m Mail Voiced Lower lip Upper lip Bilabial Nasal
Top or blade of
n Nail Voiced Alveolar ridge Alveolar Nasal
tongue
ŋ Sang Voiced Back of tongue Velum Velar Nasal


l Lull Voiced
Top or blade of
Alveolar ridge Alveolar
Lateral Sonorants
tongue approximant

Just behind
r Red Voiced Blade of tongue Post alveolar Approximant
alveolar ridge
j Yoghurt Voiced Front of tongue Hard palate Palatal Approximant
Back of tongue and
w Went Voiced Velum Labial-velar Approximant
rounded lips

ʋ Voiced Lower lip Upper teeth Labiodental Approximant

ʔ Voiceless Glottal Plosive
O




h Voiceless Glottal Fricative