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 •[[|i]][[|y]] •[[|ɨ]][[|ʉ]] •[[|ɯ]][[|u]] •[[|ɪ]][[|ʏ]] •[[|ɪ̈]][[|ʊ̈]] •[[|ɯ̽]][[|ʊ]] •[[|e]][[|ø]] •[[|ɘ]][[|ɵ]] •[[|ɤ]][[|o]] •[[|e̞]][[|ø̞]] •[[|ə]][[|ɵ̞]] •[[|ɤ̞]][[|o̞]] •[[|ɛ]][[|œ]] •[[|ɜ]][[|ɞ]] •[[|ʌ]][[|ɔ]] •[[|æ]] •[[|ɐ]][[|ɞ̞]] •[[|a]][[|ɶ]] •[[|ä]][[|ɒ̈]] •[[|ɑ]][[|ɒ]] Near-close Close-mid Mid Open-mid Near-open Open
Paired vowels are: unrounded • rounded
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Vowel fact sheet

name	height	backness	roundness	IPA number	IPA text	IPA image	Entity	X-SAMPA	Kirshenbaum	Sound sample
Close front unrounded vowel	close	front	unrounded	301	i		&#105;	i	i	<phonos file="Close front unrounded vowel.ogg">Sound sample</phonos>
Close front rounded vowel	close	front	rounded	309	y		&#121;	y	y	<phonos file="Close front rounded vowel.ogg">Sound sample</phonos>
Close central unrounded vowel	close	central	unrounded	317	ɨ		&#616;	1	i"	<phonos file="Close central unrounded vowel.ogg">Sound sample</phonos>
Close central rounded vowel	close	central	rounded	318	ʉ		&#649;	}	u"	<phonos file="Close central rounded vowel.ogg">Sound sample</phonos>
Close back unrounded vowel	close	back	unrounded	316	ɯ		&#623;	M	u-	<phonos file="Close back unrounded vowel.ogg">Sound sample</phonos>
Close back rounded vowel	close	back	rounded	308	u		&#117;	u	u	<phonos file="Close back rounded vowel.ogg">Sound sample</phonos>
Near-close near-front unrounded vowel	near-close	near-front	unrounded	319	ɪ		&#618;	I	I
Near-close near-front rounded vowel	near-close	near-front	rounded	320	ʏ		&#655;	Y	I.	<phonos file="Near-close near-front rounded vowel.ogg">Sound sample</phonos>
Near-close near-back rounded vowel	near-close	near-back	rounded	321	ʊ		&#650;	U	U	<phonos file="Near-close near-back rounded vowel.ogg">Sound sample</phonos>
Close-mid front unrounded vowel	close-mid	front	unrounded	302	e		&#101;	e	e	<phonos file="Close-mid front unrounded vowel.ogg">Sound sample</phonos>
Close-mid front rounded vowel	close-mid	front	rounded	310	ø		&#248;	2	Y	<phonos file="Close-mid front rounded vowel.ogg">Sound sample</phonos>
Close-mid central unrounded vowel	close-mid	central	unrounded	397	ɘ		&#600;	@\	@<umd>	<phonos file="Close-mid central unrounded vowel.ogg">Sound sample</phonos>
Close-mid central rounded vowel	close-mid	central	rounded	323	ɵ		&#629;	8	@.<umd>	<phonos file="Close-mid central rounded vowel.ogg">Sound sample</phonos>
Close-mid back unrounded vowel	close-mid	back	unrounded	315	ɤ		&#612;	7	o-	<phonos file="Close-mid back unrounded vowel.ogg">Sound sample</phonos>
Close-mid back rounded vowel	close-mid	back	rounded	307	o		&#111;	o	o	<phonos file="Close-mid back rounded vowel.ogg">Sound sample</phonos>
Mid central vowel	mid	central	unrounded	322	ə		&#601;	@	@	<phonos file="Schwa.ogg">Sound sample</phonos>
Open-mid front unrounded vowel	open-mid	front	unrounded	303	ɛ		&#603;	E	E	<phonos file="Open-mid front unrounded vowel.ogg">Sound sample</phonos>
Open-mid front rounded vowel	open-mid	front	rounded	311	œ		&#339;	9	W	<phonos file="Open-mid front rounded vowel.ogg">Sound sample</phonos>
Open-mid central unrounded vowel	open-mid	central	unrounded	326	ɜ		&#604;	3	V"	<phonos file="Open-mid central unrounded vowel.ogg">Sound sample</phonos>
Open-mid central rounded vowel	open-mid	central	rounded	395	ɞ		&#606;	3\	O"	<phonos file="Open-mid central rounded vowel.ogg">Sound sample</phonos>
Open-mid back unrounded vowel	open-mid	back	unrounded	314	ʌ		&#652;	V	V	<phonos file="Open-mid back unrounded vowel.ogg">Sound sample</phonos>
Open-mid back rounded vowel	open-mid	back	rounded	306	ɔ		&#596;	O	O	<phonos file="Open-mid back rounded vowel.ogg">Sound sample</phonos>
Near-open front unrounded vowel	near-open	front	unrounded	325	æ		&#230;	{	&	<phonos file="Near-open front unrounded vowel.ogg">Sound sample</phonos>
Near-open central vowel	near-open	central	vowel	324	ɐ		&#592;	6	&"	<phonos file="Near-open central unrounded vowel.ogg">Sound sample</phonos>
Open front unrounded vowel	open	front	unrounded	304	a		&#97;	a	a	<phonos file="Open front unrounded vowel.ogg">Sound sample</phonos>
Open front rounded vowel	open	front	rounded	312	ɶ		&#630;	&	a.	<phonos file="Open front rounded vowel.ogg">Sound sample</phonos>
Open back unrounded vowel	open	back	unrounded	305	ɑ		&#593;	A	A	<phonos file="Open back unrounded vowel.ogg">Sound sample</phonos>
Open back rounded vowel	open	back	rounded	313	ɒ		&#594;	Q	A.	<phonos file="Open back rounded vowel.ogg">Sound sample</phonos>

See also

• List of consonants
• List of phonetics topics