What is the phonetics of
the d in English?

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While there are letters in English, like B and C, which are pronounced the same as in Spanish, there are others, like D, that have some variations in their pronunciation. In this post we will explain what those variations are and show you some examples so you can see them and, at the same time, expand your vocabulary with new English words.

At ABA English we love helping you improve your pronunciation because we know it is one of the greatest needs for those learning English. That is why we have developed exercises like speaking so you can learn and practice the correct pronunciation in English.

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THE ENGLISH PHONETICS OF THE D

Among the phonemes included in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) are those that represent the sounds of English phonetics. Being able to interpret them will give you a big advantage when knowing how to pronounce a word in English. In this case, we will look at the phoneme that shows you what sound you should make when pronouncing the D in different words.

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What is the phonetics of the d in English?

THE PHONETIC TRANSCRIPTION OF THE D IN ENGLISH

As we mentioned earlier, the pronunciation of D in English is a bit different from Spanish. While to say ‘doy’ in Spanish the tongue rests behind the upper teeth without vibrating, to pronounce the D in English you need to, in the same position, vibrate the tongue and vocal cords. In English this letter is represented with the phoneme /d/ and is pronounced ‘di’ when alone, always with that vibrant D.

Now let’s look at some examples of words containing D: odd means ‘strange, uncommon’ and phonetically is represented /ɒd/; when you pronounce this word the two final Ds sound like one short vibrant D. In the case that the word starts with D or has this letter in the middle, like in disposable (disposable), /dɪˈspəʊ.zə.bəl/ and adamant (adamant), /ˈæd.ə.mənt/, the D is also pronounced as a shorter and more vibrant version than the Spanish. This is the difference in pronunciation between the D in Spanish and English.

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR PRONUNCIATION IN ENGLISH

To practice the pronunciation of the letter D, we suggest you start with the example words in this post and add adolescent (teenager), /ˌæd.əˈles.ənt/; add (to add), /æd/, and decide (to decide), /dɪˈsaɪd/, to expand your vocabulary.

Pay attention to how native speakers pronounce when you hear them say these words and others containing the letter D. This way you can recognize the correct way to say them and how vibrant the D is in English.

To improve your pronunciation even more you can record yourself saying the words you want to learn and then listen to the recording to see where you need to correct your pronunciation.

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List of words with D in English

Below we share some popular English words that use the letter D.

Dinosaur /ˈdaɪnəˌsɔr/ (dinosaur)

Daughter /ˈdɔtər/ (daughter)

Dumb /dʌm/ (dumb)

Donut /ˈdoʊˌnʌt/ (donut)

Dark /dɑrk/ (dark)

Adjective /ˈæʤɪktɪv/ (adjective)

Disadvantage /ˌdɪsədˈvæntɪʤ/ (disadvantage)

Video /ˈvɪdioʊ/ (video)

Difference /ˈdɪfərəns/ (difference)

Dish /dɪʃ/ (dish)

Bird /bɜrd/ (bird)

Judge /ʤʌʤ/ (judge)

Now practice the letter D in English by repeating aloud the following sentences:

The bird ate a donut I left on the dish. (The bird ate a donut I left on the dish).

He had a disadvantage because his leg was injured. (He had a disadvantage because his leg was injured).

The judge’s daughter visited the dinosaur exhibition. (The judge’s daughter visited the dinosaur exhibition).

How to pronounce the ending -ED

It is common to have a bit of confusion when pronouncing regular verbs in past tense, since not all are pronounced the same. We share below a summary that may help you:

Verbs ending with the sound /id/

For regular past tense verbs ending with a t or d before the ending -ed or -ied, you should pronounce them as /id/ or /əd/. See some examples:

Needed /ˈnidəd/ (needed)

Studied /ˈstʌdid/ (studied)

Wanted /ˈwɑntəd/ (wanted)

Invited /ɪnˈvaɪtəd/ (invited)

Motivated /ˈmoʊtəˌveɪtəd/ (motivated)

Decided /ˌdɪˈsaɪdɪd/ (decided)

Now practice by repeating the following sentences aloud:

He was so motivated that he decided to look for the help he needed. (He was so motivated that he decided to look for the help he needed).

She invited some people who studied at her university. (She invited some people who studied at her university).

Verbs ending with the sound /t/

Regular verbs ending with the consonants p, f, s, x, k, ch, sh and th should be pronounced with a /t/ sound at the end.

See the following examples:

Washed /wɑʃt/ (washed)

Watched /wɑʧt/ (watched)

Mixed /mɪkst/ (mixed)

Worked /wɜrkt/ (worked)

Waxed /wækst/ (waxed)

Mopped /mɑpt/ (mopped)

Now we share some phrases so you can practice the pronunciation of D in English with the /t/ sound:

They washed and waxed the car after they had mopped the floor. (They washed and waxed the car after they had mopped the floor).

I watched a film about mixed cultures. (I watched a film about mixed cultures).

Verbs ending with the sound /d/

Regular verbs ending with the letters w, r, l, n, m, j, g, b, v, or z, should be pronounced at the end with the /d/ sound.

See the following verbs:

Loved /lʌvd / (loved)

Feared /fɪrd / (feared)

Called /kɔld/ (called)

Leaned /lind/ (leaned)

Read the following examples and say them aloud:

Mark called the cops because he feared a thief broke into his home. (Mark called the police because he feared a thief broke into his house).