f
Consonant
/f/ — Voiceless labiodental fricative
Example words
| Word | US English | UK English |
|---|---|---|
| fish | /ˈfɪʃ/ | /fɪʃ/ |
| coffee | /ˈkɑfi/ | /kɒfi/ |
| leaf | /ˈlif/ | /liːf/ |
| phone | /ˈfoʊn/ | /fəʊ̯n/ |
| life | /ˈlaɪf/ | /laɪ̯f/ |
| fun | /ˈfʌn/ | /fʌn/ |
| fire | /ˈfaɪɚ/ | /faɪə/ |
| after | /ˈæftɚ/ | /ɑːftə/ |
| laugh | /ˈlæf/ | /lɑːf/ |
| off | /ˈɔf/ | /ɒf/ |
Transcriptions come from pronunciation lexicons IPAtics maintains, in US and UK English.
How to produce this sound
SoundVoiceless labiodental fricative.
TongueKeep the tongue neutral while the constriction happens at the lips/teeth. Form a narrow constriction to generate continuous, controlled friction.
LipsTouch the lower lip lightly to the upper teeth and control airflow there.
JawKeep the jaw slightly open and stable so the channel stays consistent.
VoiceKeep vocal folds apart (no voicing) and let airflow drive the segment.
Minimal pairs
Each pair differs only in /f/, so hearing them side by side isolates the sound.
- fan/ˈfæn/van/ˈvæn/
- fine/ˈfaɪn/vine/ˈvaɪn/
- leaf/ˈlif/leave/ˈliv/
- few/ˈfju/view/ˈvju/
Spelling patterns
- f as in fish
- ff as in coffee
- ph as in phone
- gh as in laugh
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