閩南語/發音
< 閩南語
閩南語的音節數量遠少於英語。音節也容易用聲母和韻母的概念來描述。一個音節以一個子音開頭。這被稱為聲母。音節的其餘部分被稱為韻母。一個韻母可以有一個單一的母音或一個雙母音（兩個母音從一個滑到另一個）和一個可選的最終子音（p、t、k、h、m、n或ng）。此外，閩南語的韻母可以鼻化。
下面的發音指南基於美式英語，除非另有說明。並非所有發音都能用英語單詞來描述，有些發音只是近似值。請務必聽實際的說話者，以確保你的發音正確。
| 白話字 | 發音 | IPA |
| b | b in "ball" | b |
| p | p as in "spat" | p |
| ph | p as in "pat" | pʰ |
| m | m as in "mom" | m |
| t | t in "stop" | t |
| th | t as in "top" | tʰ |
| n | n as in "not" | n |
| l | l as in "lap" | l |
| g | g in "good" | g |
| k | k as in "skit" | k |
| kh | k as in "kite" | kʰ |
| ng | ng as in "singer" | ŋ |
| h | h as in "hot" | h |
| j | Blend of the ds in "beds" and the j in "jam" | dz |
| ts | ts in "cats" | ts |
| tsh | Blend of the ts in "cats" and the ch in "church" | tsʰ |
| s | s as in "sun" | s |
- 子音j在許多說話者中，特別是在泉州，自20世紀初以來就與l合併。雖然在羅馬化方案中仍然經常寫出來。
- 三組g、k、kh和b、p、ph，以及j、ch、chh（濁不送氣、清不送氣、清送氣）在語言中很少見，需要練習才能正確區分。
- 當後面跟著i時，即ji、chi、chhi、si，子音j、ch、chh、s，採用IPA值：[dʑ]、[tɕ]、[tɕʰ]、[ɕ]。英語中沒有真正的等價詞，但[tɕ]、[tɕʰ]對應於普通話的j、q。
- b和g略微鼻化，反映了它們從古漢語/中古漢語的m和ng發展而來。
| 白話字 | 發音 | IPA |
| a | a as in "spa" | a |
| ap | op as in "top" | ap |
| at | ot as in "pot" | at̚ |
| ak | ock as in "sock" | ak̚ |
| ah | First a as in "aha" | aʔ |
| ann | a as in "spa" | ã |
| am | am as in "Vietnam" | am |
| an | on as in "con" | an |
| ang | ong as in "tongs" | aŋ |
| ai | igh as in "sigh" | ai |
| e | e as in "bet" | |
| ei | ay as in "say" | |
| em | em as in "temple" | |
| eng | ang as in "angry" | |
| ek | eck as in "peck" | |
| i | ee as in "tee" | |
| iu | ew as in "few" | |
| im | eem as in "seem" | |
| in | een as in "seen" | |
| ing | ing as in "sing" | |
| ip | eep as in "sleep" | |
| it | eet as in "meet" | |
| ik | ick as in "sick" | |
| o | or as in "or" (British English) | |
| oi | oy as in "boy" | |
| ou | o as in "no" | |
| on | on as in "con" (British English) | |
| ong | ong as in "song" | |
| ot | ot as in "hot" (British English) | |
| ok | ock as in "sock | |
| u | oo as in "too" | |
| ui | ooey as in "gooey" | |
| un | oon as in "soon" | |
| ung | combination of ou and ng | |
| ut | oot as in "boot" | |
| uk | ook as in "took" | |
| eu | er as in "her" (British English, with rounded lips) | |
| eung | combination of eu and ng | |
| euk | ork as in "work" (British English) | |
| eui | eui as in "deuil" (French) | |
| eun | ine as in "engine" | |
| eut | ut as in "put" | |
| yu | u as in "tu" (French) | |
| yun | un as in "union" | |
| yut | Ut as in "Utah" | |
| m | mm as in "hmm" | |
| ng | ng as in "sing" |
- 最終子音p、t和k是不送氣的。這意味著它們實際上是靜音的，你聽不到音節末尾的“氣流”。舉一個具體的例子，說出“cup”這個詞，並且在詞語結尾時不要張開嘴唇。注意在結尾時沒有“氣流”。當k音用於為最終的語氣詞增加活力時，它也會從被稱為軟顎塞音轉變為聲門塞音。最終子音k有時會在快速說話時消失，就像m4 sai2 haa[k]3 hei3這個表達一樣。
- aa音是低後母音，其長度略長，音質與a音不同。請務必注意這些音的差異，因為混淆這兩個音將改變單詞的含義。
- ing、it和ik中的母音音質與in、im或i不同。這與英語單詞“sin”和“seen”之間的區別是一樣的（或者在語法學校的術語中，是“短”母音與“長”母音）。雖然這種差異沒有上面的差異那麼重要，因為它不對比單詞的含義，但如果你不掌握這兩個音，你的“外國口音”會更明顯。
- yu音在英語中不存在，但並不難發。從說出長i開始，就像在“see”中一樣，並且--不改變任何其他東西！--撅起你的嘴唇。這是一個常見的法語發音，所以如果你必須的話，就“用法語思維”。
- eu音在英語中也不存在，但像yu一樣，它只是嘴唇的圓潤。從說出“bet”中的e音開始，並且--不改變任何其他東西！--撅起你的嘴唇。
- eui音只是eu和i（“eu-ee”）融合成一個音節。
- o音在美式英語中不存在，但在英式英語中存在。它是你在英國人說出“more”或“scorn”時聽到的後圓母音。如果你仔細聽一個英國說話者，你會注意到他們在這些詞中不發“r”音。正是“o”母音的音質使它們對美式英語的耳朵來說是獨特的。
- 最終的eung有一個微弱的英國r音疊加在母音上，所以數字二的讀音有點像“leurng”。要小心--用美式英語r發這個音是一個常見的錯誤，聽起來非常外國。
- 只有m和ng韻母可以用作獨立的鼻音音節。
- 位於鼻音最終子音之前的母音不鼻化，而位於鼻音子音之後的母音則鼻化。你可以在發音一些音節，比如sin1或ngo5時，捏住你的鼻子來測試你的發音。這並不是完全必要，但這樣做會減少任何明顯的外國口音。