/p/

consonant · voiceless

The P Sound

as in pen

How to make the /p/ sound

Voiceless — no vocal cord vibration
voiced voiceless
  1. 1Press both lips together.
  2. 2Build air pressure, then release with a small puff.
  3. 3No voice — whisper the pop. Note: silent in "psychology" and "receipt".

⚠ The most common mistake

Skipping the puff of air (aspiration) at word start, making "pat" sound like "bat".

Especially tricky for speakers of: Arabic, Korean.

Train your ear: /p/ vs /b/

These two words differ by exactly one sound. Tap both — can you hear it?

Practice: Record & Compare

Record yourself saying pen, then compare with the target. Your audio stays on this device — nothing is uploaded.

Practice words with /p/

Tap the speaker to hear each word; tap the word for its full pronunciation page.

More consonants

See all 44 sounds of English →