phonetic alphabet, morse code

Phonetic Alphabet Lists 🔤

Phonetic Alphabets & Morse Code Tables 🆘

WELCOME (Whiskey Echo Lima Charlie Oscar Mike Echo) to ADDucation’s phonetic alphabet and Morse code reference tables. The NATO phonetic alphabet international* is the most widely used worldwide but we’ve also included some earlier British and American phonetic alphabets.

  • Alphabets list and FAQs compiled by A C and last updated on Dec 31, 2022 @ 3:20 pm

The international phonetic alphabet is also known as the phonetic spelling alphabet, ICAO radiotelephonic and the ITU radiotelephonic phonetic alphabet. The LAPD Los Angeles Police Department phonetic alphabet is still in use, with some variations, by the LAPD and other US agencies. The Old UK military phonetic alphabet was used in pre-NATO Britain. The RAF (WWII) was used by the British Royal Air Force during World War II.

ADDucation Tips: Click column headings with arrows to sort them. Reload page for original sort order. Resize your browser to full screen and/or zoom out to display as many columns as possible. Click the ➕ icon to reveal any hidden columns. Start typing in the Filter table box to find phonetic english alphabet details inside the table.

Letter NATO Alphabet * Pronunciation Morse Code LAPD RAF (WWII) Old UK
A Alpha AL fah • – Adam Apple Abel
B Bravo BRAH voh – • • • Boy Beer Baker
C Charlie CHAR lee – • – • Charles Charlie Charlie
D Delta DELL tah – • • David Dog Dog
E Echo ECK oh Edward Edward Echo
F Foxtrot FOKS trot • • – • Frank Freddy Fox
G Golf GOLF – – • George George George
H Hotel HOH tell • • • • Henry Harry How
I India / Indigo IN dee ah • • Ida In/Indigo) Item
J Juliet JEW lee ett • – – – John Johnny/Jug) Jig
K Kilo KEY loh – • – King King King
L Lima LEE mah • – • • Lincoln Love Love
M Mike MIKE – – Mary Mother Mike
N November No VEM ber – • Nora Nuts Nan
O Oscar OSS cah – – – Ocean Orange Oboe
P Papa pah PAH • – – • Paul Peter Peter
Q Quebec Keh BECK – – • – Queen Queen Queen
R Romeo ROW me oh • – • Robert Roger/Robert Roger
S Sierra see AIR rah • • • Sam Sugar Sugar
T Tango TANG go Tom Tommy Tare
U Uniform YOU nee form • • – Union Uncle Uncle
V Victor VIK tah • • • – Victor Vic/Victor Victor
W Whiskey WISS kee • – – William William William
X X-Ray ECKS ray – • • – X-ray X-Ray X-Ray
Y Yankee YANG kee – • – – Young Yorker Yoke
Z Zulu ZOO loo – – • • Zebra Zebra Zebra

See also: International country calling codes | Emergency numbers worldwide

* The NATO phonetic alphabet is formally referred to as the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet. This includes a spelling alphabet which helps people from different language backgrounds to understand and pronounce specific letters.
Morse Code Mnemonics: To help you remember dots only: Enemy Is Secretly Hiding: E •  I • •  S • • •  H • • • •  and Dashes only: Take Morse Orders: T –  M – –  O – – –

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Phonetic Alphabets 🔽

What is the NATO phonetic alphabet?

The NATO phonetic alphabet is a spelling alphabet where words are used to represent letters. Each letter of the English alphabet has a code word which is easier to understand in radio and telephone communications where accuracy is important.

How do I pronounce my name using the phonetic alphabet?

If you are asked to spell your name say each letter followed by its phoneme. Using John as an example say J as in Juliet, O as in Oscar, H as in Hotel and N as in November.

Who uses phonetic alphabets today?

Phonetic alphabets are used in radio and telephone communications to clarify words by emergency services, the military, aviation industries and anyone who wants to be sure information is communicated accurately.

Number NATO Numbers Pronunciation Morse LAPD IMO* Word Pronunciation
0 Zero Zee-row – – – – – Nadazero Nah Dah Zee Row
1 One Wun • – – – – One Unaone Oo Nah Wun
2 Two Too • • – – – Two Bissotwo Bees Soh Too
3 Three Tree • • • – – Three Terrathree Tay Rah Tree
4 Four Fow-err • • • • – Four Kartefour Kar Tay Fow Er
5 Five Fife • • • • • Five Pantafive Pan Tah Fife
6 Six Six – • • • • Six Soxisix Sok See Six
7 Seven Sev-en – – • • • Seven Setteseven Say Tay Sev En
8 Eight Ait – – – • • Eight Oktoeight Ok Toh Ait
9 Niner Nine-er – – – – • Niner Noveniner No Vay Nine Er

See also: List of acronyms…

* International Maritime Organization

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4 responses to “Phonetic Alphabet Lists 🔤”

  1. Allen Stallings says:

    Really neat way to learn several things at one time. I wish I could copy it and print it.

    • Joe Connor says:

      Hi Allen, you can copy/paste it or take a screenshot and print it. We could even make a PDF download for anyone to download and print if there’s any interest?

  2. Shama says:

    Include full meanings e.g. mobile (m o b i l e); moon ocean etc.

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