The NATO phonetic alphabet (Alpha, Bravo Charlie, Delta...)
How to spell your name over the phone in a foreign language.
The phonetic alphabet is used internationally to describe the sound of a word or a letter. The NATO phonetic alphabet (NATO for North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 🫡) is useful for spelling your name over the phone in a foreign language. Each word (the “code word”) corresponds to its initial letter (the alphabetical “symbol”). The 26 code words of the NATO phonetic alphabet are assigned to the 26 letters of the English alphabet in alphabetical order.
The NATO phonetic alphabet is officially designated the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet (IRSA), or the ICAO phonetic alphabet (International Civil Aviation Organisation), or the ITU phonetic alphabet (International Telecommunication Union). This alphabet may therefore be called the ICAO/ITU/NATO phonetic alphabet, or the international phonetic alphabet.
| Symbol | Code Word | Morse Code | Phonic (pronunciation) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Alfa/Alpha | ● ▬ | AL FAH |
| B | Bravo | ▬ ● ● ● | BRAH VOH |
| C | Charlie | ▬ ● ▬ ● | CHAR LEE |
| D | Delta | ▬ ● ● | DELL TAH |
| E | Echo | .● | ECK OH |
| F | Foxtrot | ● ● ▬ ● | FOKS TROT |
| G | Golf | ▬ ▬ ● | GOLF |
| H | Hotel | ● ● ● ● | HOH TELL |
| I | India | ● ● | IN DEE AH |
| J | Juliett | ● ▬ ▬ ▬ | JEW LEE ETT |
| K | Kilo | ▬ ● ▬ | KEY LOH |
| L | Lima | ● ▬ ● ● | LEE MAH |
| M | Mike | ▬ ▬ | MIKE |
| N | November | ▬ ● | NO VEMBER |
| O | Oscar | ▬ ▬ ▬ | OSS CAH |
| P | Papa | ● ▬ ▬ ● | PAH PAH |
| Q | Quebec | ▬ ▬ ● ▬ | KEH BECK |
| R | Romeo | ● ▬ ● | ROW ME OH |
| S | Sierra | ● ● ● | SEE AIRRAH |
| T | Tango | ▬ | TANG OH |
| U | Uniform | ● ● ▬ | YOU NEE FORM |
| V | Victor | ● ● ● ▬ | VIK TAH |
| W | Whiskey | ● ▬ ▬ | WISS KEY |
| X | X-ray | ▬ ● ● ▬ | ECKS RAY |
| Y | Yankee | ▬ ▬ ● ● | YANG KEY |
| Z | Zulu | ▬ ▬ ▬ ▬ ▬ | ZOO LOO |