The /n/ as in NET /n/

One of the most common consonants in American English. Hear it in no, new, name, nice.

IPA /n/ Respell n Category Consonant
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The /n/ consonant, the sound in net, never, and name, is a voiced nasal where the tongue blocks the mouth and air flows out through the nose. Your tongue hits the same ridge behind your upper teeth as it does for /t/ and /d/, but instead of popping the air out, you keep the tongue planted and let the sound hum through your nose. In casual American speech, /n/ pulls a lot of weight: it's the reason the /t/ disappears in words like internet and center.

How to make it

Three small adjustments.

Get them right and the sound takes care of itself.

Touch the tip or front edge of your tongue to the roof of your mouth behind your teeth. Air flows through your nose.

Mouth position for /n/ in no

Mouth shape

/n/ as in no

Tongue

The tip or front edge contacts the alveolar ridge, same position as T and D.

Lips

Slightly apart.

Quick tips

One thing to remember.

Same tongue position as T and D, but air goes through the nose instead of being released through the mouth.

Hear it in words

16 everyday words.

Tap any word for its full breakdown — every reduction, every flap-T.

nine
NAHYN
names
NAYMZ
niece
NEES
nurse
NURS
man
MAN
men
MEHN
rain
RAYN
bone
BOHN
loan
LOHN
town
TOWN
twins
TWIHNZ
scan
SKAN
band
BAND
lunch
LUHNCH
dense
DEHNS
paint
PAYNT
Hear it in sentences

In real conversation.

4 short sentences where this sound shows up. Tap to play; click the title for the full breakdown.

He was born in nineteen ninety-three.

hee wuhz BORN ihn nahyn·TEEN NAHYN·dee THREE.

Nancy needs a new notion for the novel.

NAN·see NEEDZ uh noo NOH·shuhn fer dhuh NAH·vuhl.

Dolphins are known for their intelligence and playfulness.

DAHL·fuhnz er NOHN fer dhair ihn·TEH·luh·juhns and PLAY·fuhl·nuhs.

Genetic engineering involves modifying an organism's DNA.

juh·NEH·duhk ehn·juh·NEER·uhng uhn·VAHLVZ MAH·duh·fahy·uhng uhn OR·guh·nih·zuhmz dee·ehn·AY.
Where this sound transforms

Connected-speech rules involving /n/.

Each rule has its own page with examples and practice tips.

Rule 08

Cat-Vowel Before M/N

The "/æ/" vowel raises and fronts before M or N — tongue pulls up and forward, producing a tense [eə] glide (between /e/ and /ə/). Not a pure /æ/.

 Rule 10

Silent Schwa Before L/M/N/R

Schwa is absorbed — consonant becomes the syllable nucleus.
FAQ

Common questions about /n/.

How do I pronounce the /n/ sound correctly?
Place the tip or front edge of your tongue against the bumpy ridge just behind your top front teeth. This is the exact same tongue placement you use for T and D. The difference is airflow: instead of building up pressure and releasing it through your mouth, keep your tongue planted and let the air flow continuously out through your nose. If you pinch your nose closed while making the sound, it should stop completely.
Why do Americans drop the T in words like "internet" and "center"?
When a T comes directly after an N and is followed by an unstressed vowel, Americans almost always drop the T entirely. Because N and T use the exact same tongue position on the roof of the mouth, it's faster to just hold the N and skip the crisp T release. This means internet sounds like IN-er-net, center becomes SEN-er, and interview becomes IN-er-view.
What happens to the /n/ at the end of words like "button" or "certain"?
In words ending in -ton or -tain, the /n/ becomes a "syllabic consonant," meaning it acts like a vowel to create its own syllable. Instead of saying BUH-tuhn with a crisp T and a distinct vowel, Americans use a glottal stop (a catch in the throat) and jump straight to the N. The tongue stays glued to the roof of the mouth for the T, the throat catches the air, and the N hums right after: BUH'-n.

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