Table of vowels

This table lists the vowel letters of the International Phonetic Alphabet.

IPA vowel chart
Front Near-​front Central Near-​back Back Close •iy •ɨʉ •ɯu •ɪʏ •ɪ̈ʊ̈ •ʊ •eø •ɘɵ •ɤo •e̞ø̞ ə •ɤ̞o̞ •ɛœ •ɜɞ •ʌɔ •æ ɐ •aɶ •ä •ɑɒ Near-close Close-mid Mid Open-mid Near-open Open
Paired vowels are: unrounded • rounded
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IPA help • IPA key • chart •  chart with audio • view

Vowel fact sheet

name	height	backness	roundedness	IPA number	IPA text	IPA image	Entity	X-SAMPA	Kirshenbaum	Sound sample
Close front unrounded vowel	close	front	unrounded	301	i		i	i	i	Sound sample
Close front rounded vowel	close	front	rounded	309	y		y	y	y	Sound sample
Close central unrounded vowel	close	central	unrounded	317	ɨ		ɨ	1	i"	Sound sample
Close central rounded vowel	close	central	rounded	318	ʉ		ʉ	}	u"	Sound sample
Close back unrounded vowel	close	back	unrounded	316	ɯ		ɯ	M	u-	Sound sample
Close back rounded vowel	close	back	rounded	308	u		u	u	u	Sound sample
Near-close near-front unrounded vowel	near-close	near-front	unrounded	319	ɪ		ɪ	I	I	Sound sample
Near-close near-front rounded vowel	near-close	near-front	rounded	320	ʏ		ʏ	Y	I.	Sound sample
Near-close near-back rounded vowel	near-close	near-back	rounded	321	ʊ		ʊ	U	U	Sound sample
Close-mid front unrounded vowel	close-mid	front	unrounded	302	e		e	e	e	Sound sample
Close-mid front rounded vowel	close-mid	front	rounded	310	ø		ø	2	Y	Sound sample
Close-mid central unrounded vowel	close-mid	central	unrounded	397	ɘ		&#600;	@\	@<umd>	Sound sample
Close-mid central rounded vowel	close-mid	central	rounded	323	ɵ		&#629;	8	@.<umd>	Sound sample
Close-mid back unrounded vowel	close-mid	back	unrounded	315	ɤ		&#612;	7	o-	Sound sample
Close-mid back rounded vowel	close-mid	back	rounded	307	o		&#111;	o	o	Sound sample
Mid central vowel	mid	central	unrounded	322	ə		&#601;	@	@	Sound sample
Open-mid front unrounded vowel	open-mid	front	unrounded	303	ɛ		&#603;	E	E	Sound sample
Open-mid front rounded vowel	open-mid	front	rounded	311	œ		&#339;	9	W	Sound sample
Open-mid central unrounded vowel	open-mid	central	unrounded	326	ɜ		&#604;	3	V"	Sound sample
Open-mid central rounded vowel	open-mid	central	rounded	395	ɞ		&#606;	3\	O"	Sound sample
Open-mid back unrounded vowel	open-mid	back	unrounded	314	ʌ		&#652;	V	V	Sound sample
Open-mid back rounded vowel	open-mid	back	rounded	306	ɔ		&#596;	O	O	Sound sample
Near-open front unrounded vowel	near-open	front	unrounded	325	æ		&#230;	{	&	Sound sample
Near-open central vowel	near-open	central	vowel	324	ɐ		&#592;	6	&"	Sound sample
Open front unrounded vowel	open	front	unrounded	304	a		&#97;	a	a	Sound sample
Open front rounded vowel	open	front	rounded	312	ɶ		&#630;	&	a.	Sound sample
Open back unrounded vowel	open	back	unrounded	305	ɑ		&#593;	A	A	Sound sample
Open back rounded vowel	open	back	rounded	313	ɒ		&#594;	Q	A.	Sound sample

See also

• list of consonants
• list of phonetics topics