> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.rime.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# English phonemes

> Look up the X-SAMPA phonemes that Coda accepts in an English custom lexicon. This reference covers the rules for English, each phoneme's IPA symbol, and example words.

Use these phonemes in a pronunciation for an English (`en`) request. English has 40 phonemes, as spoken in the US. See [Phoneme control](/platform/phoneme-control) for the format and how to send a lexicon.

This lexicon entry makes Coda pronounce the invented brand name `Velkora`:

```json theme={null}
{ "spelling": "Velkora", "pronunciation": "v E l . \" k oU . r\\ @" }
```

## Rules for English

* Mark one primary stress with `"`. Mark secondary stress with `%` where the word has one: `kubernetes` is `% k u . b 3 . " n E . t i z`.
* `@` is the reduced vowel (the schwa in `about`). Do not stress it when a full vowel in the word could carry the stress.
* Diphthongs `aI`, `aU`, `eI`, `oU`, and `OI` are single phonemes.
* The r-colored vowels in the table (`A r\`, `O r\`, and the rest) are not single phonemes. Write each as the vowel followed by `r\`, separated by a space: `car` is `" k A r\`.
* Write `r\` as `r\\` inside a JSON string.

## Vowels

| X-SAMPA | IPA | Set | Examples |
| - | - | - | - |
| `@` | ə | commA | about, gonna, really, people, because |
| `3` | ɝ | NURSE | her, were, sir, first, work |
| `A` | ɑ | LOT/PALM | not, don, got, father, stop |
| `E` | ɛ | DRESS | get, well, let, yes, when |
| `I` | ɪ | KIT | this, with, him, will, think |
| `O` | ɔ | THOUGHT/CLOTH | all, because, off, call, law |
| `OI` | ɔɪ | CHOICE | boy, point, boys, voice, choice |
| `U` | ʊ | FOOT | good, look, would, could, foot |
| `V` | ʌ | STRUT | the, what, was, but, just |
| `aI` | aɪ | PRICE | like, right, why, time, find |
| `aU` | aʊ | MOUTH | out, about, now, how, our |
| `eI` | eɪ | FACE | they, okay, take, say, make |
| `i` | i | FLEECE | she, see, really, need, meet |
| `oU` | oʊ | GOAT | know, going, okay, only, soap |
| `u` | u | GOOSE | you, who, too, two, doing |
| `{` | æ | TRAP | and, that, have, can, yeah |
| `A r\` | ɑɹ | START | are, car, start, far, park |
| `O r\` | ɔɹ | NORTH | for, forget, important, war, order |
| `oU r\` | oʊɹ | FORCE | more, before, course, morning, door |
| `i r\` | iɹ | NEAR | here, years, hear, year, dear |
| `eI r\` | eɪɹ | SQUARE | there, where, their, care, scared |
| `U r\` | ʊɹ | CURE | your, sure, yourself, yours, poor |

## Consonants

| X-SAMPA | IPA | Examples |
| - | - | - |
| `j` | j | you, your, yeah, yes, years |
| `w` | w | what, was, with, one, well |
| `D` | ð | the, that, this, with, there |
| `S` | ʃ | she, should, sure, show, shut |
| `T` | θ | think, something, thank, thing, anything |
| `Z` | ʒ | pleasure, decision, usually, usual, television |
| `b` | b | but, about, back, been, because |
| `d` | d | and, don, did, good, would |
| `dZ` | dʒ | just, change, john, jack, gentlemen |
| `f` | f | for, from, off, first, find |
| `g` | ɡ | get, got, good, going, gonna |
| `h` | h | have, here, him, her, how |
| `k` | k | can, like, come, think, okay |
| `p` | p | people, please, help, stop, put |
| `s` | s | this, just, see, yes, some |
| `t` | t | that, what, not, but, just |
| `tS` | tʃ | much, which, actually, such, each |
| `v` | v | have, very, never, over, love |
| `z` | z | was, his, has, because, please |
| `N` | ŋ | think, going, something, thank, doing |
| `l` | l | all, like, well, will, let |
| `m` | m | him, come, from, time, them |
| `n` | n | and, not, don, know, can |
| `r\` | ɹ | for, your, are, there, here |


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