NATO Phonetic Alphabet
Spell any word or name in the NATO phonetic alphabet (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie…), hear it read aloud, and browse the full chart with pronunciations, numbers, and the police alphabet.
What is the NATO phonetic alphabet?
The NATO phonetic alphabet gives every letter a distinct code word — A is Alpha, B is Bravo, C is Charlie — so letters can be spelled out clearly over radio or phone even through noise, accents, or a poor connection. It is also known as the military alphabet or the ICAO/International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet. This tool spells any word into it, reads it aloud, and includes the full chart.
How to use this tool
- Text → Phonetic: type a word, name, or code and get the NATO code words (e.g. Sam → Sierra Oscar Mike).
- Press Listen to hear the code words read aloud.
- Phonetic → Text: enter code words (Sierra Oscar Mike) to turn them back into letters.
- Press Copy to save the result.
NATO phonetic alphabet chart
The full alphabet with pronunciations, the number words, and the separate police alphabet for comparison:
NATO phonetic alphabet (A–Z)
Numbers (0–9)
Police alphabet (LAPD/APCO)
Is the NATO alphabet the same as the military alphabet?
Yes. When people say “military alphabet” they mean this same NATO/ICAO standard. It is used by armed forces, pilots and air traffic control, and shipping worldwide, which is why it is so widely recognised.
The police alphabet is different
Many US police departments use the LAPD/APCO spelling alphabet instead, where A is Adam, B is Boy, and C is Charles. It serves the same purpose as NATO but uses common first names and everyday words. Both are in the chart above so you can compare them.
How numbers are pronounced
To avoid mix-ups, several numbers are spoken differently from everyday English: 3 is “tree”, 4 is “fower”, 5 is “fife”, and 9 is “niner” so it is never confused with “five”. Pilots and radio operators use these forms for clarity.
How to memorise the phonetic alphabet
The fastest way to learn it is a little each day: group the letters, practise spelling your own name and common words, and say them out loud. Use the Listen button to train your ear, and try spelling street names or car number plates as you go about your day.
Is this the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)?
No — this is the NATO spelling alphabet (code words for letters). The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is a completely different system that linguists use to write down the exact sounds of speech. If you were looking for IPA transcription, this is not that tool.
Is anything sent to a server?
No. This tool runs entirely in your browser, including the audio, so nothing you type is uploaded or stored and it works offline.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the NATO phonetic alphabet?
- The NATO phonetic alphabet is a spelling alphabet that gives each letter a clear code word — A is Alpha, B is Bravo, C is Charlie, and so on — so letters can be understood over radio or phone despite noise or accents. It is officially the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet used by NATO, aviation, and the military.
- Is the NATO alphabet the same as the military alphabet?
- Yes. The 'military alphabet' people refer to is the NATO/ICAO phonetic alphabet (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie…). Armed forces, aviation, and shipping all use this same standard, so the terms are interchangeable.
- How do I spell my name in the phonetic alphabet?
- Type your name into the Text → Phonetic box and the tool spells it out in NATO code words. For example, 'Sam' becomes Sierra Oscar Mike. Press Listen to hear it read aloud.
- What is the police phonetic alphabet?
- US police forces often use the LAPD/APCO spelling alphabet, which differs from NATO: A is Adam, B is Boy, C is Charles, D is David, and so on. The full police alphabet is included in the chart on this page.
- How are numbers pronounced in the phonetic alphabet?
- Numbers are spoken clearly to avoid confusion: 3 is 'tree', 4 is 'fower', 5 is 'fife', and 9 is 'niner' (so it is not mistaken for 'five' or the German 'nein'). The full number pronunciations are in the chart.
- Is this the same as the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)?
- No. This is the NATO spelling alphabet (code words for letters). The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is a different system used by linguists to transcribe the exact sounds of speech, and is not covered by this tool.
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