The International Phonetic Alphabet
An Indispensable Tool
for the identification and reproduction of the sounds of English.
Learning these symbols will allow you to learn the pronunciation at the same time you learn the meaning of a new word if you use (AS YOU SHOULD!) a dictionary with the IPA notation. The use of the symbols will also allow you to take notes of the new words that you hear so you can remember them to practice or to ask your English speaking friends to tell you their meaning.
These tables contain all the sounds of English with:
- The IPA symbols such as are found in the better dictionaries
- The letter (in red) that represents the sound.
- Some English words that contain the sound.
- A link to a sound file fro prctice in hearing the sound.
The Vowels |
| The IPA Symbol |
Sample Words |
Pronunciation |
 | cup, luck |  |
 | arm, father | |
 | cat, black | |
 | away, cinema | |
 | met, bed | |
 | turn, learn | |
 | hit, sitting | |
 | see, heat | |
 | hot, rock | |
 | call, thought | |
 | put, could | |
 | blue, food | |
 | five, thigh, aisle | |
 | now, out | |
 | go, home | |
| | air, where, bear | |
 | boy, join | |
 | pure, news | |
The following table shows the consonants. The sounds of some of the English letters MAY be similar to the sounds of our language. The sample words are only some of the many possibilities of English spelling. A complete list of the possible spellings for any sound is NOT given in this table. This table does not have the purpose of teaching spelling, but rather of teaching the IPA symbols and presenting the pronunciation of the corresponding sounds.
Rudimentary instructions on how to make the sounds are given in English. In addition, some explanations of the sounds are given in Spanish, as examples cannot be given for all languages. Spanish speakers may find more detail in their language in Sonidos del Inglés. Speakers of other languages can listen to the sample recordings.
The Consonants |
The IPA Symbols |
Sample Words |
Pronunciation
* There are regional differences |
 b | bad, lab | Upper and lower lips touch and then release the sound. Vocal cords vibrate.
|
| d | did, lady | Tip of tongue touches gum behind the upper teeth. Vocal cords vibrate.
|
| f | find, if |
Upper teeth touch lower lip. Vocal cords do not vibrate.
|
| g | give, flag | Root of tongue touches soft palate. Vocal cords vibrate.
|
| h | how, hello | Mouth is wide open. Air is released from the back of the throat.
|
| y | yes, yellow | * yeso, caballo: el mexicano NO el argentino |
| c | cat, back | casa, queso, quilo, copa, y ¡ya sabes! |
| l | leg, little | La pronunciación de la consonante"l" se parece a la del Español. Ver abajo para la pronunciación de la "l" silábica. |
| m | man, lemon | Se parece a la "m" del Español |
| n | no, ten | Se parece a la "n" del Español |
 | sing, finger | |
| p | pet, map | Se parece a la "p" del Español |
| r | red, try | pronto habrá sonido |
| s | sun, miss | Se parece a la "s" del Español (y a la "z" en América) |
 | she, nation, crash | |
| t | tea, getting | Se parece a la "t" del Español |
 | check, church | |
 | think, both | |
 | this, mother | |
| v | voice, five | Este sonido NO es ni la "v" de ave ni la "v" de invitar. Es un sonido que no existe en Castellano. Se forma tocando el labio inferior con los dientes superiores. |
| w | wet, window | Se parece a la "ue" de puedo y a la "ui" de huída. |
| z | zoo, lazy | |
 | pleasure, vision |
Middle of tongue and roof of mouth. Vocal cords vibrate. |
symbol | just, large | First a "d" is pronounced and then immediately the body of the tongue touches the whole roof of the mouth. Vocal cords vibrate. |
Syllabic l and n
These sounds are difficult for English learners. Many pronounce the "l" and "e" at the end of the English words "little", "uncle", "apple" as they would pronounce them in their native language,
namely, as a separate syllable "le". This is an error and should be corrected.
What happens is the following: After the consonant before the syllabic "l" is pronounced, the "l" forms a weak syllable with the weak vowel .
Similarly, "n" is syllabic in the words "listen" and "fasten". The important thing is for you to remember is that you do not pronounce the "t" of the last syllable. Besides that, the syllabic "n" does not present many problems, because it is part of a real syllable, not of a weak one as in the case of the syllabic a "l" of above.
Listen to both syllabic consonants.
Syllabic l and n |
Examples |
Listen! |
| little, uncle, bottle | |
| listen, fasten, often | |
The apostrophe (word stress)
Most dictionaries use the apostrophe symbol (') to show word stress. Usually, the
apostrophe is placed before the stressed syllable in a word.
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General Information on Improving your
Northamerican English Accent
Recommended Resources for acquiring or improving your
Northamerican English Accent!
English Accent Resources in Spanish: la Pronunciación del Inglés
Other English Language Resources in Spanish:
English for Spanish Speakers
Spanish for Kids
http://www.bookslibros.com/SpanishForNinos.htm
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