Phonetic Spelling Tool
Use the CaseSwitch Phonetic Spelling Tool to expand text into English letter names (H → aitch, I → eye) joined by hyphens. Paste a short code or name, copy the spelled form, and read it slowly. Spelling runs in this browser — nothing is uploaded.
Written by the CaseSwitch editorial team. We maintain these tools in the browser so drafts, keys, and images stay on your device.
Last reviewed: 23 July 2026
Processed locally in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server.
Paste or type text to convert. Output stays empty until there is input.
Character count: 0 · Word count: 0 · Line count: 0
Examples
Two letters
Input
Hi
Output
aitch-eye
Three letters
Input
ABC
Output
ay-bee-see
Name
Input
Sam
Output
ess-ay-em
Space preserved between hyphens
Input
a b
Output
ay- -bee
W uses double-you
Input
w
Output
double-you
How to use
- Paste a short name, code, or word — keep it brief.
- Copy the hyphenated letter-name string.
- Read it aloud slowly, or paste into a worksheet.
What this tool is for
Sometimes you need letter-by-letter clarification without NATO code words. This tool maps each character to a simple English letter name (ay, bee, see…) or leaves non-letters as themselves, then joins the pieces with hyphens. It spells graphemes, not IPA pronunciation — “phone” becomes pee-aitch-oh-en-ee, not a sound transcription.
How it works
The input is lowercased. Each code point is looked up in a fixed map (a→ay … z→zee, with w→double-you). Characters outside the map — digits, spaces, punctuation — are kept as-is between hyphens. The pieces are joined with `-`. Empty input yields an empty string. This is not the International Phonetic Alphabet and not the NATO radiotelephony alphabet.
When to use it
Reading a short code over a bad line when NATO feels heavy, teaching letter names, generating a spaced spelling for a worksheet, and confirming a username character by character.
When not to use it
Do not confuse this with pronunciation guides (ˈkæm-əl). Do not run long paragraphs — output length explodes. Prefer NATO Phonetic Alphabet when you need standardized radio code words.
How it compares to related tools
The NATO Phonetic Alphabet Translator uses Alfa Bravo Charlie. Pig Latin is a novelty cipher-like game. Morse uses dots and dashes. This tool only inserts English letter names with hyphens.
Common mistakes
Expecting “phone” to become “f-o-n.” It becomes pee-aitch-oh-en-ee. Assuming British “zed” — the map uses “zee.” Forgetting that spaces become `- -` style gaps in the hyphenated stream.
Letter names versus sounds
English letter names are not the same as the sounds those letters make in a word. This page always emits names from the map. If you need pronunciation teaching, use an IPA resource. If you need radio clarity across languages, use NATO code words instead of ay/bee/see.
Separators and non-letters
The joiner is always a hyphen between mapped pieces. Digits and punctuation stay literal, which means a phone number will interleave names and digits. For worksheets that want commas or spaces as separators, copy the result and replace `-` in your editor. Empty input stays empty.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the International Phonetic Alphabet?+
No. IPA describes sounds. This tool spells the letters you typed using English letter names.
Can I change the separator?+
The tool always joins with hyphens. Copy and replace separators if your worksheet wants spaces or commas.
Is Z “zee” or “zed”?+
The map uses “zee.” Say “zed” aloud if that is your dialect — the written output stays zee.
How is this different from NATO?+
NATO uses Alfa, Bravo, Charlie. This page uses ay, bee, see — shorter, less standard on radio.
What about digits?+
Digits are not renamed; they appear as themselves between hyphens.
Is my text uploaded?+
No. Spelling runs in this browser.
Does CaseSwitch upload this text?+
No. Conversion, cleaning, and counting for this page run in your browser. Drafts are not sent to CaseSwitch for processing.
Related tools
NATO Phonetic Alphabet Translator
Confirming email addresses over the phone, reading serial numbers, aviation and amateur-radio practice, support calls where consonants blur, and any verbal check where you would otherwise invent “B as in boy.”
Pig Latin Translator
Classroom games, puzzle hunts, novelty posts, and teaching morphology of onset clusters. Keep the source text — fluent players reverse Pig Latin easily.
Upper Case Converter
Warning banners, warehouse and packing labels, form section names that a design system specifies in caps, crossword-style puzzles, matching a legacy field that stores values in uppercase, and preparing a short line that must be visible at a distance. Keep the string short. A five-word label in caps can work; a paragraph will not.