Phonetic Alphabet

Combined with differing accents and bad phone lines, some letters and numbers can sound very similar when spoken, so how do you make sure they are not misinterpretted?

The best thing you can do is use a phonetic alphabet to spell out words letter by letter. You may well already use this alphabet as it has started to merge into common language.

There are a number of phonetic alphabets generated over time and for specialist purposes, but the most widely used is the one created by NATO.
This alphabet is also known as the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet, the ICAO phonetic, the ICAO spelling alphabet or the ITU phonetic alphabet.

Below you will find all the letters and numbers you need and also how to pronounce them properly.

 

Letter Written Word How To Say It
AAlphaAl-fah
BBravoBrah-voh
CCharlieChar-lee
DDeltaDell-tah
EEchoEck-oh
FFoxtrotFoks-trot
GGolfGolf
HHotelHoh-tel
IIndiaIn-dee-ah
JJulietJew-lee-et
KKiloKey-loh
LLimaLee-mah
MMikeMike
NNovemberNo-vem-ber
OOscarOss-car
PPapaPah-pah
QQuebecKeh-beck
RRomeoRow-me-oh
SSierraSee-air-rah
TTangoTang-go
UUniformYoo-nih-form
VVictorVik-tore
WWhiskeyWiss-key
XXrayEcks-ray
YYankeeYang-key
ZZuluZoo-loo
0ZeroZee-ro
1OneWun
2TwoToo
3ThreeTree
4FourFow-er
5FiveFife
6Sixsix
7SevenSev-en
8EightAit
9NineNin-er
100HundredHun-dred
1000ThousandTou-sand

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