X-SAMPA

The Extended SAM Phonetic Alphabet (X-SAMPA) is a variant of SAMPA developed in 1995 by J. C. Wells, professor of phonetics at the University of London. It was designed to unify the individual language SAMPA alphabets, and extend SAMPA to cover the entire range of characters in the International Phonetic Alphabet.

The result is a SAMPA-inspired recasting of the IPA into 7-bit ASCII.

Table of contents

1 Summary

1.1 Notes
1.2 Lowercase symbols
1.3 Uppercase symbols
1.4 Other symbols
1.5 Diacritics

2 External Links

Summary

Notes

The IPA symbols that are ordinary lower-case letters have the same value in X-SAMPA as they do in the IPA.
X-SAMPA uses a following backslash as an escape character to create a new symbol. For example O is a distinct sound from O\\, to which it bears no relation.
X-SAMPA diacritics follow the symbols they modify. Except for ~ for nasalization, = for syllabicity, and ` for retroflexion and rhoticity, diacritics are joined to the character with the underscore character _.
The numbers _1 through _6 are reserved diacritics as shorthand for language-specific tone numbers.

Lowercase symbols

XS	IPA	Description	Examples
a	a	open low front unrounded vowel	French dame [dam], Spanish padre
b	b	voiced bilabial plosive	English bed [bEd], French bon [bO~]
b_<	ɓ	bilabial voiced impolosive
c	c	unvoiced palatal plosive	Hungarian latyak [lAcAk]
d	d	voiced alveolar plosive	English dog [dQg], French doigt [dwa]
d`	ɖ	voiced retroflex plosive
d_<	ɗ	dental/alveolar voiced implosive
e	e	close-mid front unrounded vowel	French ses [se]
f	f	unvoiced labiodental fricative	English five [faIv], French femme [fam]
g	g	voiced velar plosive	English go [g@U], French longue [lO~g]
g_<	ɠ	voiced velar implosive
h	h	unvoiced glottal fricative	English house [haUs]
h\\	ɦ	voiced glottal fricative
i	i	tense close front unrounded vowel	English be [bi:], French oui [wi], Spanish si
j	j	palatal approximant	English yes [jEs], French yeux [j2]
j\\	ʝ	voiced palatal fricative
k	k	unvoiced velar plosive	English cat [k{t], Spanish carro
l	l	alveolar lateral approximant	English lay [leI], French mal [mal]
l`	ɭ	retroflex lateral approximant
l\\	ɺ	voiced alveolar lateral flap
m	m	bilabial nasal	English mouse [maUs], French homme [Om]
n	n	alveolar nasal	English no [n@U], French non [nO~]
o	o	close-mid back rounded vowel	French gros [gRo]
p	p	unvoiced bilabial plosive	English hop [hQp], French pose [poz] Spanish perro
p\\	φ	voiceless bilabial fricative
q	q	unvoiced uvular plosive
r	r	alveolar trill	Spanish perro
r`	ɽ	retroflex tap or flap
r\\	ɹ	voiced (post-)alveolar approximant
r\\`	ɻ	retroflex approximant
s	s	unvoiced alveolar fricative	English seem [si:m], French session [se.sjO~]
s`	ʂ	unvoiced retroflex fricative
s\\	ɕ	voiceless alveolopalatal fricative
t	t	unvoiced alveolar plosive	English too [tu:], French ratÃÂÃÂ© [Rate], Spanish tuyo
t`	ʈ	unvoiced retroflex plosive
u	u	tense close back rounded vowel	English boom [bu:m], Spanish su
v	v	voiced labioldental fricative	English vest [vEst], French voix [vwa]
v\\ (or P)	ʋ	labiodental approximant
w	w	labiovelar approximant	English west [wEst], French oui [wi]
x	x	unvoiced velar fricative	Scottish loch [lQx]
x\\	ɧ	voiceless postalveolar and velar fricative
y	y	tense close front rounded vowel	French tu [ty]
z	z	voiced alveolar fricative	English zoo [zu:], French azote [azOt]
z`	ʐ	voiced retroflex fricative
z\\	ʑ	voiced alveolopalatal fricative

Uppercase symbols

XS IPA IPA Description Example
A ɑ Image:Xsampa-A2.png open back unrounded vowel English start [stA:rt]
B β Image:Xsampa-B2.png voiced bilabial fricative Spanish cabo
B\\ ʙ Image:Xsampa-Bslash.png voiced bilabial trill
C ç Image:Xsampa-C2.png voiceless palatal fricative German ich
D ð Image:Xsampa-D2.png voiced dental fricative English then [DEn]
E ɛ Image:Xsampa-E2.png open-mid front unrounded vowel French même [mEm]
F ɱ Image:Xsampa-F.png labiodental nasal English emphasis ["EFf@sIs] (spoken quickly, otherwise ["Emf@sIs])
G γ Image:Xsampa-G2.png voiced velar fricative Spanish fuego, Greek gama
G\\ ɢ Image:Xsampa-Gslash.png voiced uvular plosive
G\\_< ʛ Image:Xsampa-Gslash lessthan.png voiced uvular implosive
H ɥ Image:Xsampa-H.png labial-palatal semivowel French huit [Hi]
H\\ ʜ Image:Xsampa-Hslash.png voiceless epiglottal fricative
I ɪ Image:Xsampa-I2.png lax close front unrounded vowel English kit [kIt]
I\\ central lax close unrounded vowel, not in IPA
J ɲ Image:Xsampa-J.png palatal nasal Spanish año
J\\ ɟ Image:Xsampa-Jslash.png voiced palatal plosive Hungarian egy [EJ\\]
J\\_< Image:Xsampa-Jslash lessthan.png voiced palatal implosive
K ɬ Image:Xsampa-K2.png voiceless alveolar lateral fricative Welsh llaw
K\\ ɮ Image:Xsampa-Kslash.png voiced alveolar lateral fricative
L ʎ Image:Xsampa-L2.png palatal lateral Italian famiglia
L\\ ʟ Image:Xsampa-Lslash.png voiced velar lateral
M ɯ Image:Xsampa-M.png close back unrounded vowel Korean u
M\\ ɰ Image:Xsampa-Mslash.png velar approximant
N ŋ Image:Xsampa-N2.png velar nasal English thing [TIN]
N\\ ɴ Image:Xsampa-Nslash.png voiced uvular nasal
O ɔ Image:Xsampa-O2.png open-mid back rounded vowel British English thought [TO:t]
O\\ ʘ Image:Xsampa-Oslash.png bilabial click
P (or v\\) ʋ Image:Xsampa-Porvslash.png labiodental approximant
Q ɒ Image:Xsampa-Q.png open back rounded vowel British English lot [lQt]
R ʁ Image:Xsampa-R2.png voiced uvular fricative French roi [Rwa]
R\\ ʀ Image:Xsampa-Rslash.png voiced uvular trill
S ʃ Image:Xsampa-S2.png voiceless palatoalveolar fricative English ship [SIp]
T θ Image:Xsampa-T2.png voiceless dental fricative English thin [TIn]
U ʊ Image:Xsampa-U2.png lax close back rounded vowel English foot [fUt]
U\\ central lax close rounded vowel, not in IPA
V ʌ Image:Xsampa-V.png open-mid back unrounded vowel English strut [strVt]
W ʍ Image:Xsampa-X.png voiceless labial-velar fricative Scottish when
X χ Image:Xsampa-x2.png voiceless uvular fricative Welsh bach
X\\ ħ Image:Xsampa-Xslash.png voiceless pharyngeal fricative Arabic ha’
Y ʏ Image:Xsampa-Y2.png lax close front rounded vowel German hÃÂÃÂ¼bsch
Z ʒ Image:Xsampa-Z2.png voiced palatoalveolar fricative English measure ["mEZ.U@]

XS	IPA	Description	Example
A	ɑ	open back unrounded vowel	English start [stA:rt]
B	β	voiced bilabial fricative	Spanish cabo
B\\	ʙ	voiced bilabial trill
C	ç	voiceless palatal fricative	German ich
D	ð	voiced dental fricative	English then [DEn]
E	ɛ	open-mid front unrounded vowel	French même [mEm]
F	ɱ	labiodental nasal	English emphasis ["EFf@sIs] (spoken quickly, otherwise ["Emf@sIs])
G	γ	voiced velar fricative	Spanish fuego, Greek gama
G\\	ɢ	voiced uvular plosive
G\\_<	ʛ	voiced uvular implosive
H	ɥ	labial-palatal semivowel	French huit [Hi]
H\\	ʜ	voiceless epiglottal fricative
I	ɪ	lax close front unrounded vowel	English kit [kIt]
I\\		central lax close unrounded vowel, not in IPA
J	ɲ	palatal nasal	Spanish año
J\\	ɟ	voiced palatal plosive	Hungarian egy [EJ\\]
J\\_<		voiced palatal implosive
K	ɬ	voiceless alveolar lateral fricative	Welsh llaw
K\\	ɮ	voiced alveolar lateral fricative
L	ʎ	palatal lateral	Italian famiglia
L\\	ʟ	voiced velar lateral
M	ɯ	close back unrounded vowel	Korean u
M\\	ɰ	velar approximant
N	ŋ	velar nasal	English thing [TIN]
N\\	ɴ	voiced uvular nasal
O	ɔ	open-mid back rounded vowel	British English thought [TO:t]
O\\	ʘ	bilabial click
P (or v\\)	ʋ	labiodental approximant
Q	ɒ	open back rounded vowel	British English lot [lQt]
R	ʁ	voiced uvular fricative	French roi [Rwa]
R\\	ʀ	voiced uvular trill
S	ʃ	voiceless palatoalveolar fricative	English ship [SIp]
T	θ	voiceless dental fricative	English thin [TIn]
U	ʊ	lax close back rounded vowel	English foot [fUt]
U\\		central lax close rounded vowel, not in IPA
V	ʌ	open-mid back unrounded vowel	English strut [strVt]
W	ʍ	voiceless labial-velar fricative	Scottish when
X	χ	voiceless uvular fricative	Welsh bach
X\\	ħ	voiceless pharyngeal fricative	Arabic ha’
Y	ʏ	lax close front rounded vowel	German hÃÂÃÂ¼bsch
Z	ʒ	voiced palatoalveolar fricative	English measure ["mEZ.U@]

Other symbols

XS	IPA	Description	Example
.		syllable break
"	ˈ	primary stress
%	ˌ	secondary stress
&	ɶ	open front rounded vowel	Dan. drÃÂÃÂ¸mme
' (or _j)	ʲ	palatalized
*		undefined escape character, SAMPA's "conjunctor"
-		separator
/		indeterminacy in French vowels
{	æ	near-open front unrounded vowel	English trap [tr{p]
}	ʉ	close central rounded vowel	Swedish sju
1	ɨ	close central unrounded vowel	Welsh tu
2	ø	close-mid front rounded vowel	Fr deux [d2]
3	ɜ	long mid central vowel	British English nurse [n3:s]
3\\	ɞ	open-mid central rounded vowel
4	ɾ	voiced alveolar tap	Spanish pero
5	ɫ	dark l; see also _e	English milk [mI5k]
6	ɐ	open schwa	German besser
7	ɤ	close-mid back unrounded vowel
8	ɵ	close-mid central rounded vowel	Swedish buss
9	œ	open-mid front rounded vowel	Fr neuf [n9f]
:	ː	long
:\\	ˑ	half long
<		begin nonsegmental notation (e.g., SAMPROSA)
<\\	ʢ	voiced epiglottal fricative
>		end nonsegmental notation
>\\	ʡ	epiglottal plosive
?	ʔ	glottal stop	German Verein, also Danish stød
?\\	ʕ	voiced pharyngeal fricative	Arabic ‘ayn
@	ə	schwa	English banana [b@"nA:n@]
@\\	ɘ	close-mid central unrounded vowel
^	↑	upstep
!	↓	downstep
!\\	ǃ	retroflex click
\|		minor (foot) group
\|\\	ǀ	dental click
\|\|		major (intonation) group
\|\\\|\\	ǁ	lateral click
=\\	ǂ	alveolar click
-\\	̮	linking mark

Diacritics

XS IPA IPA Description
_" ¨ Image:Xsampa- doublequotes.png centralized
_+ ˖ Image:Xsampa- plus.png advanced
_- ˗ Image:Xsampa- minus.png retracted
_/ ˇ rising
_0 ̥ Image:Xsampa- 0.png voiceless
_< implosive
= (or _=) ̩ Image:Xsampa-equalsor equals.png syllabic
_> ʼ Image:Xsampa- greaterthan.png ejective
_?\\ ˤ Image:Xsampa- questionslash.png pharyngealized
_\\ ˆ falling tone
_^ ̯ Image:Xsampa- hat.png non-syllabic
_} ̚ Image:Xsampa- rightcurly.png no audible release
` ˞ Image:Xsampa-'rhino.png rhoticity in vowels, retroflexion in consonants (IPA uses separate symbols for consonants, see t` for an example)
~ (or _~) ~ Image:Xsampa-tildor tild.png nasalization
_A ̘ Image:Xsampa- A.png advanced tongue root
_a ̺ Image:Xsampa- a2.png apical
_B ̏ Image:Xsampa- B.png extra low tone
_B_L Image:Xsampa- B L.png low rising tone
_c ̜ Image:Xsampa- c.png less rounded
_d ̪ Image:Xsampa- d.png dental
_e ~ Image:Xsampa- e.png velarized or pharyngealized; see also 5
Image:Xsampa-ltFgt.png global fall
_F ^ Image:Xsampa- F.png falling tone
_G ˠ Image:Xsampa- G.png velarized
_H ˊ Image:Xsampa- H.png high tone
_H_T Image:Xsampa- H T.png high rising tone
_h ʰ aspirated
_j (or ') ʲ Image:Xsampa-'or j.png palatalized
_k ̰ Image:Xsampa- k.png creaky voice
_L ` Image:Xsampa- L.png low tone
_l ˡ lateral release
_M ¯ Image:Xsampa- M.png mid tone
_m ̻ laminal
_N ̼ Image:Xsampa- N.png linguolabial
_n ⁿ Image:Xsampa- n2.png nasal release
_O ̹ Image:Xsampa O.png more rounded
_o ˕ Image:Xsampa- o.png lowered
_q ̙ Image:Xsampa- q.png retracted tongue root
Image:Xsampa-ltRgt.png global rise
_R ˇ Image:Xsampa- R.png rising tone
_R_F Image:Xsampa- R F.png rising falling tone
_r ˔ raised
_T ˝ Image:Xsampa- T.png extra high tone
_t ̤ breathy voice
_v ˬ Image:Xsampa- v.png voiced
_w ʷ Image:Xsampa- w.png labialized
_X ˘ Image:Xsampa- X.png extra-short
_x ˟ mid-centralized

XS	IPA	Description
_"	¨	centralized
_+	˖	advanced
_-	˗	retracted
_/	ˇ	rising
_0	̥	voiceless
_<		implosive
= (or _=)	̩	syllabic
_>	ʼ	ejective
_?\\	ˤ	pharyngealized
_\\	ˆ	falling tone
_^	̯	non-syllabic
_}	̚	no audible release
`	˞	rhoticity in vowels, retroflexion in consonants (IPA uses separate symbols for consonants, see t` for an example)
~ (or _~)	~	nasalization
_A	̘	advanced tongue root
_a	̺	apical
_B	̏	extra low tone
_B_L		low rising tone
_c	̜	less rounded
_d	̪	dental
_e	~	velarized or pharyngealized; see also 5
		global fall
_F	^	falling tone
_G	ˠ	velarized
_H	ˊ	high tone
_H_T		high rising tone
_h	ʰ	aspirated
_j (or ')	ʲ	palatalized
_k	̰	creaky voice
_L	`	low tone
_l	ˡ	lateral release
_M	¯	mid tone
_m	̻	laminal
_N	̼	linguolabial
_n	ⁿ	nasal release
_O	̹	more rounded
_o	˕	lowered
_q	̙	retracted tongue root
		global rise
_R	ˇ	rising tone
_R_F		rising falling tone
_r	˔	raised
_T	˝	extra high tone
_t	̤	breathy voice
_v	ˬ	voiced
_w	ʷ	labialized
_X	˘	extra-short
_x	˟	mid-centralized