The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is standard method for expressing the range of sounds of that we use in the languages of the world. This is a useful tool for linguists and language learners as it is the way to write every possible sound. It often is helpful to see the “big picture” of all the sounds and how they relate to each other. It can also help you understand how to get your mouth to make the desired sound in your new language. If you learn the IPA, you will be able to write the proper pronunciation or every word in every language.
Learn more about the IPA:
- IPA website
- Wikipedia article
- Omniglot IPA webpage
- Download a PDF copy of the IPA
- Watch a video clip of a person saying each sound
- Click the images below to hear each sound