X-SAMPA

The Extended SAM Phonetic Alphabet (X-SAMPA) is a variant of SAMPA developed in 1995 by John 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.

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. (Note that it is a convention among some conlangers to use an asterisk (e.g., O*) instead of backslash).
* X-SAMPA diacritics follow the symbols they modify. Except for ~ for nasalization, = for syllabicity, and ` for retroflexion and rhotacization, diacritics are joined to the character with the underscore character _.
* The underscore character is also used to encode the IPA tiebar.
* The numbers _1 to _6 are reserved diacritics as shorthand for language-specific tone numbers.

Lowercase symbols

XS IPA IPA Description Examples

a

Xsampa-a.png

open front unrounded vowel

French dame [dam], Spanish padre ["paD4e]

b

Xsampa-b.png

voiced bilabial plosive

English bed [bEd], French bon [bO~]

b_<

Xsampa-b_lessthan.png

voiced bilabial implosive

c

Xsampa-c.png

voiceless palatal plosive

Hungarian latyak ["lAcAk]

d

Xsampa-d.png

voiced alveolar plosive

English dig [dIg], French doigt [dwa]

Xsampa-d'.png

voiced retroflex plosive

Swedish hord [hu:d`]

d_<

Xsampa-d_lessthan.png

voiced alveolar implosive

e

Xsampa-e.png

close-mid front unrounded vowel

French ses [se]

f

Xsampa-f2.png

voiceless labiodental fricative

English five [faIv], French femme [fam]

g

Xsampa-g.png

voiced velar plosive

English game [geIm], French longue [lO~g]

g_<

Xsampa-g_lessthan.png

voiced velar implosive

h

Xsampa-h.png

voiceless glottal fricative

English house [haUs]

h\

Xsampa-hslash.png

voiced glottal fricative

i

Xsampa-i.png

close front unrounded vowel

English be [bi:], French oui [wi], Spanish si [si]

j

Xsampa-j2.png

palatal approximant

English yes [jEs], French yeux [j2]

j\

Xsampa-jslash2.png

voiced palatal fricative

Greek γειά [j\a]

k

Xsampa-k.png

voiceless velar plosive

English cat [k{t], Spanish carro ["kar:o]

l

Xsampa-l.png

alveolar lateral approximant

English lay [leI], French mal [mal]

Xsampa-l'.png

retroflex lateral approximant

Svealand Swedish sorl [so:l`]

l\

Xsampa-lslash.png

alveolar lateral flap

Japanese phoneme /r/

m

Xsampa-m.png

bilabial nasal

English mouse [maUs], French homme [Om]

n

Xsampa-n.png

alveolar nasal

English nap [n{p], French non [nO~]

Xsampa-n'.png

retroflex nasal

Swedish hörn [h2:n`]

o

Xsampa-o.png

close-mid back rounded vowel

French gros [gRo]

p

Xsampa-p.png

voiceless bilabial plosive

English leap [li:p], French pose [poz], Spanish perro ["per:o]

p\

Xsampa-pslash.png

voiceless bilabial fricative

Japanese fuku [p\M_0kM]

q

Xsampa-q.png

voiceless uvular plosive

Arabic qasbah ["qQs_Gba]

r

Xsampa-r.png

alveolar trill

Spanish perro ["per:o]

Xsampa-r'.png

retroflex flap

r\

Xsampa-rslash2.png

alveolar approximant

English red [r\Ed]

r\`

Xsampa-rslash'.png

retroflex approximant

s

Xsampa-s.png

voiceless alveolar fricative

English seem [si:m], French session [se"sjO~]

Xsampa-s'.png

voiceless retroflex fricative

Swedish mars [mas`]

s\

Xsampa-sslash.png

voiceless alveolo-palatal fricative

Polish świerszcz [s\v'ErStS]

t

Xsampa-t.png

voiceless alveolar plosive

English too [tu:], French raté [Ra"te], Spanish tuyo ["tujo]

Xsampa-t'.png

voiceless retroflex plosive

Swedish mört [m2t`]

u

Xsampa-u.png

close back rounded vowel

English boom [bu:m], Spanish su [su]

v

Xsampa-v.png

voiced labiodental fricative

English vest [vEst], French voix [vwa]

v\ (or P)

Xsampa-Porvslash.png

labiodental approximant

Dutch west [v\Est]/[PEst]

w

Xsampa-w2.png

labial-velar approximant

English west [wEst], French oui [wi]

x

Xsampa-x.png

voiceless velar fricative

Scots loch [lQx]

x\

Xsampa-xslash2.png

voiceless palatal-velar fricative

Swedish sjal [x\A:l]

y

Xsampa-y.png

close front rounded vowel

French tu [ty] German über ["y:b6]

z

Xsampa-z.png

voiced alveolar fricative

English zoo [zu:], French azote [a"zOt]

Xsampa-z'.png

voiced retroflex fricative

Mandarin Chinese rang [z`aN]

z\

Xsampa-zslash.png

voiced alveolo-palatal fricative

Polish źrebak ["z\rEbak]

Uppercase symbols

XS IPA IPA Description Example

A

Xsampa-A2.png

open back unrounded vowel

English father ["fA:D@(r\)] (RP and Gen.Am.)

B

Xsampa-B2.png

voiced bilabial fricative

Spanish lavar [la"Ba4]

B\

Xsampa-Bslash.png

bilabial trill

Reminiscent of shivering ("brrr")

C

Xsampa-C2.png

voiceless palatal fricative

German ich [IC], English human ["Cum@n] (broad transcription uses [hj-])

D

Xsampa-D2.png

voiced dental fricative

English then [DEn]

E

Xsampa-E2.png

open-mid front unrounded vowel

French même [mEm], English met [mEt]

F

Xsampa-F.png

labiodental nasal

English emphasis ["EFf@sIs] (spoken quickly, otherwise uses [Emf-])

G

Xsampa-G2.png

voiced velar fricative

Greek γωνία [Go"nia], Danish vælge ["vElG@]

G\

Xsampa-Gslash.png

voiced uvular plosive

Inuktitut nirivvik [niG\ivvik]

G\_<

Xsampa-Gslash_lessthan.png

voiced uvular implosive

H

Xsampa-H.png

labial-palatal approximant

French huit [Hi]

H\

Xsampa-Hslash.png

voiceless epiglottal fricative

I

Xsampa-I2.png

near-close near-front unrounded vowel

English kit [kIt]

I\

Xsampa-Islash.png

central lax close unrounded vowel, not in IPA

Polish ryba [rI\bA]

J

Xsampa-J.png

palatal nasal

Spanish año ["aJo], English canyon ["k{J@n] (broad transcription uses [-nj-])

J\

Xsampa-Jslash.png

voiced palatal plosive

Hungarian egy [EJ\]

J\_<

Xsampa-Jslash_lessthan.png

voiced palatal implosive

K

Xsampa-K2.png

voiceless alveolar lateral fricative

Welsh llaw [KaU_^]

K\

Xsampa-Kslash.png

voiced alveolar lateral fricative

L

Xsampa-L2.png

palatal lateral approximant

Italian famiglia [fa"miLa], Castilian llamar [La"mar], English million ["mIL@n] (broad transcription uses [-lj-])

L\

Xsampa-Lslash.png

velar lateral approximant

English phoneme /5/

M

Xsampa-M.png

close back unrounded vowel

Korean 으 (eu)

M\

Xsampa-Mslash.png

velar approximant

Spanish fuego ["fweM\o]

N

Xsampa-N2.png

velar nasal

English thing [TIN]

N\

Xsampa-Nslash.png

uvular nasal

Japanese san [saN\]

O

Xsampa-O2.png

open-mid back rounded vowel

British English thought [TO:t], American English off [O:f]

O\

Xsampa-Oslash.png

bilabial click

P (or v\)

Xsampa-Porvslash.png

labiodental approximant

Dutch west [PEst]/[v\Est], allophone of English phoneme /r\/

Q

Xsampa-Q.png

open back rounded vowel

British English lot [lQt]

R

Xsampa-R2.png

voiced uvular fricative

French roi [Rwa]

R\

Xsampa-Rslash.png

uvular trill

German phoneme /r/

S

Xsampa-S2.png

voiceless postalveolar fricative

English ship [SIp]

T

Xsampa-T2.png

voiceless dental fricative

English thin [TIn]

U

Xsampa-U2.png

near-close near-back rounded vowel

English foot [fUt]

U\

Xsampa-Uslash.png

central lax close rounded vowel, not in IPA

V

Xsampa-V.png

open-mid back unrounded vowel

English strut [str\Vt]

W

Xsampa-X.png

voiceless labial-velar fricative

Scots when [WEn]

X

Xsampa-x2.png

voiceless uvular fricative

Welsh bach [baX]

X\

Xsampa-Xslash.png

voiceless pharyngeal fricative

Arabic <ح>ha’ [X\?]

Y

Xsampa-Y2.png

near-close near-front rounded vowel

German hübsch [hYpS]

Z

Xsampa-Z2.png

voiced postalveolar fricative

English vision ["vIZ@n]

Other symbols

XS IPA IPA Description Example

.

Xsampa-fullstop.png

syllable break

"

Xsampa-doublequotes.png

primary stress

%

Xsampa-percentage.png

secondary stress

' (or _j)

Xsampa-'or_j.png

palatalized

:

Xsampa-colon.png

long

:\

Xsampa-colonslash.png

half long

Estonian differentiates three vowel lengths

- separator

@

Xsampa-at.png

schwa

English arena [@"r`i:n@]

@\

Xsampa-atslash.png

close-mid central unrounded vowel

{

Xsampa-leftcurly.png

near-open front unrounded vowel

English trap [tr\{p]

}

Xsampa-rightcurly.png

close central rounded vowel

Swedish sju [x\}:]; AuE/NZE boot [b}:t]

1

Xsampa-1.png

close central unrounded vowel

Welsh tu [t1], American English rose's ["r\oUz1z]

2

Xsampa-2.png

close-mid front rounded vowel

Danish købe ["k2:b@], French deux [d2]

3

Xsampa-3.png

open-mid central unrounded vowel

English nurse [n3:s] (RP) or [n3`s] (Gen.Am.)

3\

Xsampa-3slash.png

open-mid central rounded vowel

Dutch munt [m3\nt]

4

Xsampa-4.png

alveolar flap

Spanish pero ["pe4o], American English better ["bE4@`]

5

Xsampa-l_eor5.png

velarized alveolar lateral approximant; also see _e

English milk [mI5k]

6

Xsampa-6.png

near-open central vowel

German besser ["bEs6], Australian English mud [m6d]

7

Xsampa-7.png

close-mid back unrounded vowel

Estonian kõik [k7ik], Occurs in Vietnamese

8

Xsampa-8.png

close-mid central rounded vowel

Swedish buss [b8s]

9

Xsampa-9.png

open-mid front rounded vowel

French neuf [n9f], Danish drømme [dR9m@]

&

Xsampa-amper.png

open front rounded vowel

?

Xsampa-questionmark.png

glottal stop

Danish stød [sd2?], Cockney English bottle ["bQ?l]

?\

Xsampa-qmarkslash.png

voiced pharyngeal fricative

Arabic ‘ayn

* undefined escape character, SAMPA's "conjunctor", used by some conlangers instead of \

/ indeterminacy in French vowels

< begin nonsegmental notation (e.g., SAMPROSA)

<\

Xsampa-lessthanslash.png

voiced epiglottal fricative

> end nonsegmental notation

>\

Xsampa-greaterthanslash.png

epiglottal plosive

^

Xsampa-hat.png

upstep

!

Xsampa-exclamation.png

downstep

!\

Xsampa-exclamationslash.png

postalveolar click

Xsampa-bar.png

minor (foot) group

Xsampa-barslash.png

dental click

||

Xsampa-doublebar.png

major (intonation) group

>\|\

Xsampa-doublebarslash.png

lateral alveolar click

=\

Xsampa-equalsslash.png

palatal click

-\

Xsampa-dashslash.png

linking mark

Diacritics

XS IPA IPA Description

_"

Xsampa-_doublequotes.png

centralized

_+

Xsampa-_plus.png

advanced

_-

Xsampa-_minus.png

retracted

_/ rising tone

_0

Xsampa-_0.png

voiceless

_< implosive (IPA uses separate symbols for implosives)

= (or _=)

Xsampa-equalsor_equals.png

syllabic

_>

Xsampa-_greaterthan.png

ejective

_?\

Xsampa-_questionslash.png

pharyngealized

_\ falling tone

_^

Xsampa-_hat.png

non-syllabic

_}

Xsampa-_rightcurly.png

no audible release

Xsampa-'rhino.png

rhotacization in vowels, retroflexion in consonants (IPA uses separate symbols for consonants, see t` for an example)

~ (or _~)

Xsampa-tildor_tild.png

nasalization

_A

Xsampa-_A.png

advanced tongue root

_a

Xsampa-_a2.png

apical

_B

Xsampa-_B.png

extra low tone

_B_L

Xsampa-_B_L.png

low rising tone

_c

Xsampa-_c.png

less rounded

_d

Xsampa-_d.png

dental

_e

Xsampa-_e.png

velarized or pharyngealized; also see 5

Xsampa-ltFgt.png

global fall

_F

Xsampa-_F.png

falling tone

_G

Xsampa-_G.png

velarized

_H

Xsampa-_H.png

high tone

_H_T

Xsampa-_H_T.png

high rising tone

_h

Xsampa-_h.png

aspirated

_j (or ')

Xsampa-'or_j.png

palatalized

_k

Xsampa-_k.png

creaky voice

_L

Xsampa-_L.png

low tone

_l

Xsampa-_l.png

lateral release

_M

Xsampa-_M.png

mid tone

_m

Xsampa-_m.png

laminal

_N

Xsampa-_N.png

linguolabial

_n

Xsampa-_n2.png

nasal release

_O

Xsampa_O.png

more rounded

_o

Xsampa-_o.png

lowered

_q

Xsampa-_q.png

retracted tongue root

Xsampa-ltRgt.png

global rise

_R

Xsampa-_R.png

rising tone

_R_F

Xsampa-_R_F.png

rising falling tone

_r

Xsampa-_r.png

raised

_T

Xsampa-_T.png

extra high tone

_t

Xsampa-_t.png

breathy voice

_v

Xsampa-_v.png

voiced

_w

Xsampa-_w.png

labialized

_X

Xsampa-_X.png

extra-short

_x

Xsampa-_x.png

mid-centralized

External links

* Computer-coding the IPA: A proposed extension of SAMPA
* X-SAMPA to IPA comparison chart
* Online converter between IPA and X-Sampa

X-SAMPA: Encyclopedia BETA

Contents