Decoding the letter N

Voiced velar nasal Voiced alveolar nasal {{{1}}} The letter N, lowercase n (pronounced /en/) normally represents IPA phoneme /n/. For examples see IPA phoneme /n/.

Before /k/ or /g/ it normally represents /ŋ/ as in ink /ɪŋk/ or finger /fɪŋɡər/. In other cases "n" can optionally be pronounced /ŋ/ as in an alternative pronunciation of income as Template:Subtle+. There are no minimal pairs in which the difference is /nk/ and /ŋk/, or /ng/ and /ŋg/.

Before /p/ or /b/ "n" can be pronounced /m/ as in an alternative pronunciation of input as Template:Subtle+. There are no minimal pairs in which the difference is /np/ and /mp/, or /nb/ and /mb/.

Exceptions

• Silent n: autumn - column

N in combinations

ng

Main article: Pronunciation exercises: "ng"

• as /ŋ/: hang - hanged - hanger - hanging - hangs
• as /ŋg/: anger - finger - hungry
• as /ŋk/: length - strength
• as /ndʒ/: angel - arrange - danger - orange

gn

• as /n/: align - champagne - foreign - sign
• as /gn/: ignore - recognize - significant
• as /nj/: cognac - lasagna^AmE - lasagne^BrE. See also IPA phonetic symbol [ɲ]