Back to all sounds
Consonant

B

The B sound is a voiced bilabial stop consonant. It is made the same way as P, but with the vocal cords vibrating. Press both lips together to stop the airflow, then release them while vibrating your vocal cords.

b
Phonetic System (Merriam-Webster):b

Watch the Sound

Click the video to watch in fullscreen mode

Example Words

Main Example

boy
Phonetic: /bɔɪ/

Common Words

boy/bɔɪ/
big/bɪg/
baby/ˈbeɪbi/
book/bʊk/
blue/blu/
about/əˈbaʊt/
job/dʒɑb/

Minimal Pairs

Listen and compare similar sounds

b
ben
/bɛn/
Compare with
B
pen
/pɛn/
b
bat
/bæt/
Compare with
B
pat
/pæt/
b
bin
/bɪn/
Compare with
B
pin
/pɪn/

Tongue Twister

Big black bugs bleed blue-black blood.

Try it yourself

Practice saying this tongue twister

Technical Details

  • CategoryConsonant
  • VoicingVoiced
  • Place of ArticulationBilabial
  • Manner of ArticulationPlosive
  • Mouth PositionPress your lips together firmly, build up air pressure behind them, then release the lips while vibrating your vocal cords. The release is gentler than for P.