h
Consonant
/h/ — Voiceless glottal fricative
Example words
| Word | US English | UK English |
|---|---|---|
| hat | /ˈhæt/ | /hat/ |
| ahead | /əˈhɛd/ | /əhɛd/ |
| behind | /bɪˈhaɪnd/ | /bəhaɪnd/ |
| home | /ˈhoʊm/ | /həʊm/ |
| happy | /ˈhæpi/ | /hæpi/ |
| house | /ˈhaʊs/ | /haʊs/ |
| hello | /həˈloʊ/ | /hələʊ/ |
| hand | /ˈhænd/ | /ˈhand/ |
| help | /ˈhɛlp/ | /hɛlp/ |
| horse | /ˈhɔɹs/ | /hɔːs/ |
Transcriptions come from pronunciation lexicons IPAtics maintains, in US and UK English.
How to produce this sound
SoundVoiceless glottal fricative.
TongueDo not force oral tongue constriction; the main action is at the glottis. Form a narrow constriction to generate continuous, controlled friction.
LipsKeep lips neutral.
JawKeep the jaw slightly open and stable so the channel stays consistent.
VoiceKeep vocal folds apart (no voicing) and let airflow drive the segment.
Spelling patterns
- h as in hat
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