w
Consonant
/w/ — Labial-velar approximant
Example words
| Word | US English | UK English |
|---|---|---|
| we | /ˈwi/ | /wiː/ |
| away | /əˈweɪ/ | /əweɪ/ |
| wet | /ˈwɛt/ | /wɛt/ |
| water | /ˈwɔtɚ/ | /wɔːtə/ |
| window | /ˈwɪndoʊ/ | /wɪndəʊ/ |
| word | /ˈwɝd/ | /ˈwɜːd/ |
| queen | /ˈkwin/ | /kwiːn/ |
| wait | /ˈweɪt/ | /weɪt/ |
| wife | /ˈwaɪf/ | /waɪf/ |
| walk | /ˈwɔk/ | /wɔːk/ |
Transcriptions come from pronunciation lexicons IPAtics maintains, in US and UK English.
How to produce this sound
SoundLabial-velar approximant.
TongueRaise the back of the tongue toward the soft palate (velum). Approach the target place closely but avoid making turbulent friction.
LipsKeep lips neutral unless coarticulation demands otherwise.
JawUse gentle opening and avoid unnecessary movement.
VoiceMaintain smooth voicing throughout the segment.
Minimal pairs
Each pair differs only in /w/, so hearing them side by side isolates the sound.
- wet/ˈwɛt/vet/ˈvɛt/
- wine/ˈwaɪn/vine/ˈvaɪn/
- west/ˈwɛst/vest/ˈvɛst/
- wheel/ˈwil/veal/ˈvil/
Spelling patterns
- w as in we
- qu as in queen
Common mistakes for Turkish and German speakers
- German speakers: /w/ is often replaced by /v/, so "wet" can sound like "vet".Source: Swan & Smith (eds.), Learner English, 2nd ed. (Cambridge University Press, 2001), chapter "German speakers"
- Turkish speakers: /w/ and /v/ are easily confused, so "wet" and "vet" can sound alike.Source: Swan & Smith (eds.), Learner English, 2nd ed. (Cambridge University Press, 2001), chapter "Turkish speakers"
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