p
Consonant
/p/ — Voiceless bilabial stop
Example words
| Word | US English | UK English |
|---|---|---|
| pen | /ˈpɛn/ | /pɛn/ |
| pack | /ˈpæk/ | /pæk/ |
| paper | /ˈpeɪpɚ/ | /peɪ̯pə/ |
| happy | /ˈhæpi/ | /hæpi/ |
| apple | /ˈæpəl/ | /æpəl/ |
| stop | /ˈstɑp/ | /stɒp/ |
| cup | /ˈkʌp/ | /kʌp/ |
| open | /ˈoʊpən/ | /əʊpən/ |
| people | /ˈpipəl/ | /piːpəl/ |
| spring | /ˈspɹɪŋ/ | /spɹɪŋ/ |
Transcriptions come from pronunciation lexicons IPAtics maintains, in US and UK English.
How to produce this sound
SoundVoiceless bilabial stop.
TongueKeep the tongue relaxed and out of the closure; the constriction is made with both lips. Build full closure at the target place, then release with a controlled burst.
LipsBring both lips together firmly, then release cleanly.
JawKeep jaw stable with only enough opening for a crisp release.
VoiceKeep vocal folds apart (no voicing) and let airflow drive the segment.
Minimal pairs
Each pair differs only in /p/, so hearing them side by side isolates the sound.
- pen/ˈpɛn/ben/ˈbɛn/
- pat/ˈpæt/bat/ˈbæt/
- pig/ˈpɪɡ/big/ˈbɪɡ/
- cap/ˈkæp/cab/ˈkæb/
Spelling patterns
- p as in pen
- pp as in happy
Common mistakes for Arabic speakers
- Arabic speakers: Arabic has no /p/, so /p/ and /b/ are easily confused: "pen" can sound like "ben".Source: Swan & Smith (eds.), Learner English, 2nd ed. (Cambridge University Press, 2001), chapter "Arabic speakers"
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