ELSA IPA Chart: Full list of sounds used in the app

This article provides a detailed overview of the IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) symbols used in ELSA, based on our internal pronunciation system.

If you're looking for a general explanation of how ELSA uses IPA, please refer to: About ELSA’s IPA Transcriptions

ELSA uses a simplified version of IPA to make pronunciation easier to learn while staying aligned with major dictionaries.

This means:

• Symbols are based on standard IPA, but simplified

• Only American English sounds are included

• Some distinctions (like vowel length /ː/) are not shown

The chart below represents the complete set of IPA sounds used in ELSA.

1. Vowels

• Short Vowels and Long Vowels

  

• Diphthongs

  

• R-colored Vowels

  

2. Consonants

• Plosives (Stops) and Fricatives

  

3. Other Consonant Sounds