The charts below show the way in which the IPA is used to transcribe the Nguni languages Swazi, Xhosa, and Zulu. For a guide to adding IPA characters to Wikipedia articles, see Template:IPA and Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Pronunciation § Entering IPA characters.
 | This is the pronunciation key for IPA transcriptions of Nguni on Wikipedia.It provides a set of symbols to represent the pronunciation of Nguni in Wikipedia articles, and example words that illustrate the sounds that correspond to them. Integrity must be maintained between the key and the transcriptions that link here; do not change any symbol or value without establishing consensus on the talk page first. | |
A superscript x marks a sound or spelling found specifically in Xhosa, s in Swazi, and z specifically in Zulu. Sounds marked * only appear in loanwords.
More information Consonants, Non-click ...
| Consonants |
|---|
| Non-click |
| IPA | Orthography | English approximation |
| b |
bh |
book |
| ɓ |
b |
bag, but implosive |
| d |
d |
dip |
| dʒ |
j |
just |
| dz |
dz |
dads |
| dv |
dvs |
hand valve |
| f |
f |
find |
| ɡ |
g |
give |
| ɠ |
kz |
good, but implosive |
| h |
h |
have |
| ɦ |
hh |
behind |
| j |
y |
yet |
| k |
kh |
can |
| kʼ |
k |
back, with glottalization |
| k̬ |
ks |
Glottalized bag |
| kxʼ |
klz, krx |
No English equivalent |
| kʟ̝̊ |
klz, krx |
Similar to clinic |
| l |
l |
like |
| ɬ |
hl |
No English equivalent; Welsh llwyd |
| ɮ |
dl |
No English equivalent; Welsh llwyd, but voiced |
| m |
m |
mode |
| n |
n |
night |
| ŋ |
ngʼx, ngzs[1] |
sing |
| ɲ |
ny |
canyon |
| p |
ph |
pin |
| pʼ |
p |
lip, with glottalization |
| r |
r |
right, but trilled |
| s |
s |
see |
| ʃ |
sh |
ship |
| t |
th |
tip |
| tʼ |
t |
bit, with glottalization |
| ts |
ts |
cats |
| tf |
tfs |
thoughtful |
| tsʼ |
ts |
cats, with glottalization |
| tʃʼ |
tsh |
catch, with glottalization |
| v |
v |
vine |
| w |
w |
wind |
| x |
rhx |
Scottish loch |
| ɣ |
grx |
No English equivalent; Spanish amigo |
| ʒ |
zhx |
pleasure |
| z |
z |
zip |
| ʔ |
(ʔ)x |
Pause in uh-oh! |
| Click[2] |
| IPA | Orthography |
| ᵏǀ |
c |
| ᵏǀʼ |
c |
| ᵏǁ |
x |
| ᵏǁʼ |
x |
| ᵏǃ |
q |
| ᵏǃʼ |
q |
| ᶢǀ |
gc |
| ᶢǁ |
gx |
| ᶢǃ |
gq |
| ᵑǀ |
nc |
| ᵑǁ |
nx |
| ᵑǃ |
nq |
| Other symbols |
| ◌̃ |
nasalisation (placed above consonant) |
| ◌ʰ |
Aspirated consonant (placed after consonant) |
| ◌ʱ |
Breathy voice (placed after consonant) |
| ◌ʲ |
Palatalisation (placed after consonant) |
| ◌̠ |
Retracted consonant (placed below consonant) |
| ◌̤ / ◌̈ / ◌̥ / ◌̊ |
slack voice (placed above or below consonant) |
|
| Tones |
|---|
| Tone mark |
Tone Bar |
| á |
˦ |
| à |
˨ |
| âː |
˥˩ |
| ǎ̤ |
˨˦ |
| à̤ |
˨ |
| a̤᷈ː |
˨˧˨ |
|
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