RFE Phonetic Alphabet


The RFE Phonetic Alphabet, named for a journal of philology, Revista de Filología Española is a phonetic alphabet originally developed in 1915 for the languages and dialects of Iberian origin, primarily Spanish. The alphabet was proposed by Tomás Navarro Tomás and adopted by the Centro de Estudios Históricos in Madrid for the RFE and by the Instituto de Filología de Buenos Aires. It is used solely in works based on Hispanic themes, such as the Atlas Lingüístico de la Península Ibérica, as well as phonetics manuals. Additionally, this phonetic alphabet is taught at the universities of Spanish-speaking countries such as Mexico.

Symbols

RFEExampleTranscriptionConsonantIPA
bbondadbon̹dáđ̥Voiced bilabial stop
ppadrepáđreVoiceless bilabial stop
mamaramárVoiced bilabial nasal
m̥mismo mím̥moVoiceless bilabial nasal
ƀhabaáƀaVoiced bilabial fricative
ƀ̥las botas la ƀ̥ótahVoiceless bilabial fricative

RFEExampleTranscriptionConsonantIPA
m̭confusokom̭fúṡoLabiodental nasal
ffácilfáθi̧lVoiceless labiodental fricative
vvida viđaVoiced labiodental fricative

RFEExampleTranscriptionConsonantIPA
ḍcruz divina krúẓ ḍiƀínaVoiced interdental stop
ṭhazte acááθṭe akáVoiceless interdental stop
ṇonzaóṇθaInterdental nasal
ẓjuzgarxųẓǥár--
θmozomóθoVoiceless interdental fricative
đruedar̄wéđaVoiced interdental fricative
ḷcalzadokaḷθađoVoiceless interdental lateral

RFEExampleTranscriptionConsonantIPA
dduchodúĉoVoiced dental stop
ttomartomáɹVoiceless dental stop
n̹montemón̹teDental nasal
z̹desdedéz̹đeVoiced dental fricative
s̹hastaás̹taVoiceless dental fricative
l̹faldafál̹daDental lateral approximant

RFEExampleTranscriptionConsonantIPA
nmanomã́noAlveolar nasal
n̥asno án̥noVoiceless alveolar nasal
ŝchobu ŝóƀuVoiceless alveolar affricate
zlos días lo zíah--
srosa r̄osa--
żrasgarr̄ażǥáɹVoiced alveolar fricative
ṡcasakáṡaVoiceless alveolar fricative
llunalúnaAlveolar lateral approximant
l̥muslo mųl̥loVoiceless alveolar lateral approximant
rhoraǫ́raAlveolar flap
r̥multitudmųr̥titúVoiceless alveolar flap
r̄carrokár̄oAlveolar trill
ɹcolorkolǫ́ɹAlveolar approximant
ɹ̊trigo tɹ̊íǥoVoiceless alveolar approximant
ɹ̱honra,
pondré 		ónɹ̱a,
põɹ̱é		Geminated voiced alveolar approximant
ɹ̱̊perro pę́ɹ̱̊o / pę́ɹ̱oGeminated voiceless alveolar approximant

RFEExampleTranscriptionConsonantIPA
n̮añoán̮oPalatal nasalɲ
ŷyugoŷúǥoVoiced palatal affricate
ĉmuchomúĉoVoiceless postalveolar affricate
žmayo mažoVoiced postalveolar fricative
šrexa r̄ešaVoiceless postalveolar fricative
ymayomáyoVoiced palatal fricative
ẙjefe ẙefe / ẙjéfe--
jnietonjétoPalatal approximant
j̊inquietoiŋ́ḱj̊éto / iŋ́ḱj̊eto--
l̮castillokas̹tíl̮oPalatal lateral approximant
ÿsubyugarsųƀÿuǥáɹ--

RFEExampleTranscription
ǵguitarraǵitár̄a
ḱquimeraḱiméra
ŋ́inquiririŋ́ḱirír
ǥ́seguirṡeǥ́iɹ
x́regirr̄ex́ír

RFEExampleTranscriptionConsonantIPA
ggustargųs̹táɹVoiced velar stop
kcasakáṡaVoiceless velar stop
ŋnuncanṹŋkaVelar nasal
ǥrogarr̄oǥárVoiced velar fricative
xjamásxamásVoiceless velar fricative
łmalalt məlạłVelarized alveolar lateral approximant
whuesowéṡoVoiced labio-velar approximant
w̥fuera fw̥éraVoiceless labio-velar approximant

RFEExampleTranscription
ŋ̇don Juandoŋ̇ ẋwán
ǥ̇agujaaǥ̇úxa
ẋenjuagareŋ̇ẋwaǥár

RFEExampleTranscriptionConsonantIPA
hhorno hǫ́rnoVoiceless glottal fricative

RFEDescription
į ę ǫ ųLowered
i e a o uUnmarked vowels
ẹ ọRaised
ąFronted
ạBacked
ǫ̈Labialized ę
öLabialized e
ų̈Labialized į
üLabialized i
əSchwa
ĩ ã ũ õ, etc.Nasalized vowels
á ó ę́ ã́Vowels with stress marker
aː oː lː sː mː nː, etc.Long
đ đ̥, etc.Reduced sounds