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How to spell a word phonetically
Type the words
Type an English word, or pick one of the examples.
Choose US or UK
The accent changes the spelling and the voice. Some words, like schedule, have more than one common pronunciation, and you can hear each one.
Listen and copy
Press play to hear the word, then copy the spelling or the IPA. Stress the syllable in capitals when you say it.
What is phonetic spelling?
Phonetic spelling is a way to write a word as it sounds, not as it's normally spelled. Colonel, for example, becomes KUR-nuhl.
The generator gives you two kinds. The respelling uses ordinary letters, joins syllables with hyphens, and puts the stressed syllable in capitals, so anyone can read it aloud. IPA, the International Phonetic Alphabet, uses one symbol for each sound. It's exact, but you need a key to read it.
Respelling and IPA key
| Respelling | IPA | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ah | /a/ /ɑ/ /ɑː/ | quinoa (KEEN-wah) |
| a | /æ/ | anemone (AN-ih-mohn) |
| uh | /ɐ/ /ə/ | colonel (KUR-nuhl) |
| e, eh | /ɛ/ /e/ | schedule (SKEJ-ool) |
| i, ih | /ɪ/ | epitome (ih-PIT-uh-mee) |
| ee | /i/ /iː/ | quinoa (kee-NOH-uh) |
| uu | /ʊ/ | schedule (SKEJ-uul) |
| oo | /u/ /uː/ | schedule (SKEJ-ool) |
| ur | /ɝ/ /ɚ/ /ɜ/ /ɜː/ | colonel (KUR-nuhl) |
| ay | /eɪ/ | segue (SEG-way) |
| eye, y | /aɪ/ | either (EYE-dhur) |
| oh | /oʊ/ /əʊ/ /o/ | quinoa (kee-NOH-uh) |
| sh | /ʃ/ | Worcestershire (WUUS-tuh-shur) |
| dh | /ð/ | either (EYE-dhur) |
| y | /j/ | schedule (SHED-yool) |
| ch | /tʃ/ | mischievous (MIS-chuh-vuhs) |
| j | /dʒ/ | schedule (SKEJ-ool) |
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Phonetic spelling FAQs
How do I spell my name phonetically?
Type your name into the generator and pick US or UK. Names can be said more than one way, so copy the spelling that matches how you say yours into your email signature or profile. If your name isn't found, spell each syllable as it sounds and put the stressed one in capitals, like KUR-nuhl.
How do you write a word phonetically?
Split the word into syllables, spell each syllable the way it sounds using ordinary letters, and write the stressed one in capitals, as in KUR-nuhl for colonel. Or type the word into the generator above and copy the result.
Is there a free phonetic translator for English?
Yes. This phonetic spelling generator turns English words into a phonetic spelling and IPA, and plays each word in a US or UK accent. It's free and needs no account.
What's the difference between phonetic spelling and IPA?
A phonetic respelling uses ordinary letters, so anyone can read it, but one letter can stand for more than one sound. IPA, the International Phonetic Alphabet, gives every sound its own symbol. It's exact, but you have to learn the symbols. The generator shows both.
Why do some English words have more than one pronunciation?
Many English words have more than one accepted pronunciation. In UK English, schedule can start with sk or sh. The generator lists each one so you can hear them side by side.
How does the phonetic spelling generator work?
It looks up each word in Cartesia's English pronunciation data for your accent, turns the result into a phonetic spelling and IPA, and plays it with Sonic, Cartesia's text-to-speech model.
Can I add custom pronunciations to a text-to-speech app?
Yes. With the Cartesia API you add a word to a pronunciation dictionary as a sounds-like spelling or as IPA, then pass the dictionary's ID with each request.
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