# Sounds of American English

## 00. Introduction

## 01. English Alphabet

Modern English is composed of *26* letters, each with both *uppercase* and *lowercase* forms. English stands out among European languages for not using [diacritics](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diacritic), which are special marks added to letters to alter their pronunciation or meaning.

[NATO](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATO) has a system that uses common words to identify each letter, which is particularly helpful for military and civil aviation, emergency serivces, radio or phone communication, and many others to avoid confusion when spelling out words.

| Letter | Pronunciation                                                                                                                        | NATO Phonetic Alphabet                                                                                                                                        |
| ------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| A a    | `/eɪ/` <span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/a-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/a-us-jen.mp3"></span>       | Alpha    `/ˈæl.fə/`<span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/Alpha-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/Alpha-us-jen.mp3"></span>            |
| B b    | `/biː/` <span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/b-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/b-us-jen.mp3"></span>      | Bravo    `/ˈbrɑː.voʊ/`<span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/Bravo-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/Bravo-us-jen.mp3"></span>         |
| C c    | `/siː/` <span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/c-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/c-us-jen.mp3"></span>      | Charlie  `/ˈtʃɑːr.liː/`<span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/Charlie-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/Charlie-us-jen.mp3"></span>    |
| D d    | `/diː/` <span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/d-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/d-us-jen.mp3"></span>      | Delta    `/ˈdɛl.tə/`<span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/Delta-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/Delta-us-jen.mp3"></span>           |
| E e    | `/iː/` <span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/e-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/e-us-jen.mp3"></span>       | Echo     `/ˈɛk.oʊ/`<span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/Echo-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/Echo-us-jen.mp3"></span>              |
| F f    | `/ɛf/` <span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/f-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/f-us-jen.mp3"></span>       | Foxtrot  `/ˈfɔːks.trɒt/`<span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/Foxtrot-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/Foxtrot-us-jen.mp3"></span>   |
| G g    | `/dʒiː/` <span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/g-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/g-us-jen.mp3"></span>     | Golf     `/ɡɑːf/`<span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/Golf-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/Golf-us-jen.mp3"></span>                |
| H h    | `/eɪtʃ/` <span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/h-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/h-us-jen.mp3"></span>     | Hotel    `/hoʊˈtɛl/`<span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/Hotel-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/Hotel-us-jen.mp3"></span>           |
| I i    | `/aɪ/` <span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/i-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/i-us-jen.mp3"></span>       | India    `/ˈɪn.di.ə/`<span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/India-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/India-us-jen.mp3"></span>          |
| J j    | `/dʒeɪ/` <span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/j-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/j-us-jen.mp3"></span>     | Juliet   `/ˈdʒuːliːˌɛt/`<span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/Juliet-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/Juliet-us-jen.mp3"></span>     |
| K k    | `/keɪ/` <span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/k-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/k-us-jen.mp3"></span>      | Kilo     `/ˈkiː.loʊ/`<span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/Kilo-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/Kilo-us-jen.mp3"></span>            |
| L l    | `/ɛl/` <span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/l-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/l-us-jen.mp3"></span>       | Lima     `/ˈliː.mə/`<span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/Lima-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/Lima-us-jen.mp3"></span>             |
| M m    | `/ɛm/` <span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/m-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/m-us-jen.mp3"></span>       | Mike     `/maɪk/`<span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/Mike-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/Mike-us-jen.mp3"></span>                |
| N n    | `/ɛn/` <span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/n-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/n-us-jen.mp3"></span>       | November `/noʊˈvɛm.bər/`<span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/November-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/November-us-jen.mp3"></span> |
| O o    | `/oʊ/` <span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/o-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/o-us-jen.mp3"></span>       | Oscar    `/ˈɑːs.kɑːr/`<span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/Oscar-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/Oscar-us-jen.mp3"></span>         |
| P p    | `/piː/` <span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/p-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/p-us-jen.mp3"></span>      | Papa     `/pəˈpɑː/`<span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/Papa-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/Papa-us-jen.mp3"></span>              |
| Q q    | `/kjuː/` <span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/q-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/q-us-jen.mp3"></span>     | Quebec   `/kəˈbɛk/`<span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/Quebec-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/Quebec-us-jen.mp3"></span>          |
| R r    | `/ɑːr/` <span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/r-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/r-us-jen.mp3"></span>      | Romeo    `/ˈroʊ.miːˌoʊ/`<span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/Romeo-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/Romeo-us-jen.mp3"></span>       |
| S s    | `/ɛs/` <span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/s-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/s-us-jen.mp3"></span>       | Sierra   `/siˈɛr.ə/`<span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/Sierra-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/Sierra-us-jen.mp3"></span>         |
| T t    | `/tiː/` <span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/t-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/t-us-jen.mp3"></span>      | Tango    `/ˈtæŋ.ɡoʊ/`<span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/Tango-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/Tango-us-jen.mp3"></span>          |
| U u    | `/juː/` <span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/u-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/u-us-jen.mp3"></span>      | Uniform  `/ˈjuː.nɪ.fɔːrm/`<span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/Uniform-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/Uniform-us-jen.mp3"></span> |
| V v    | `/viː/` <span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/v-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/v-us-jen.mp3"></span>      | Victor   `/ˈvɪk.tər/`<span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/Victor-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/Victor-us-jen.mp3"></span>        |
| W w    | `/ˈdʌbl̩juː/` <span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/w-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/w-us-jen.mp3"></span> | Whiskey  `/ˈwɪs.kiː/`<span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/Whiskey-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/Whiskey-us-jen.mp3"></span>      |
| X x    | `/ɛks/` <span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/x-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/x-us-jen.mp3"></span>      | X-ray    `/ˈɛks.reɪ/`<span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/X-ray-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/X-ray-us-jen.mp3"></span>          |
| Y y    | `/waɪ/` <span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/y-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/y-us-jen.mp3"></span>      | Yankee   `/ˈjæŋ.kiː/`<span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/Yankee-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/Yankee-us-jen.mp3"></span>        |
| Z z    | `/ziː/` <span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/z-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/z-us-jen.mp3"></span>      | Zulu     `/ˈzuː.luː/`<span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/Zulu-us-guy.mp3" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/Zulu-us-jen.mp3"></span>            |

> [!Note]
> The synthesized audio files primarily utilizes OpenAI's TTS (Text-to-Speech) and Microsoft Edge's TTS. The blue speaker icon<span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us="/audios/us/Alpha-us-guy.mp3"></span>represents a male voice, whereas the brown speaker icon<span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-uk="/audios/us/Alpha-us-jen.mp3"></span>signifies a female voice.