How do I use this translator?

Type or paste your text and the code words appear right away, one input word per line. To go the other way, switch to NATO to text and paste code words like Sierra Oscar Sierra to get SOS back. Use the swap button to flip the direction and reuse the result.

Why is it spelled Alfa and Juliett?

Those are the official spellings. Alfa is written with an f instead of ph, and Juliett has two t's, so that speakers of other languages do not mispronounce them. The sounds are the same as Alpha and Juliet.

Does it cover numbers and punctuation?

Yes. Digits are spelled out as Zero through Nine, and a few common marks are included: a full stop is Stop, a comma is Comma, a hyphen is Dash, and the at sign is At. Anything else, like emoji or rare symbols, is skipped.

Can I hear it read aloud?

Yes. Click the Listen button to hear the result spoken by the voice built into your browser and device. It is free and nothing is uploaded. The button only shows if your browser supports text to speech.

Yes. Everything runs in your browser, so your text is never sent to a server. Once the page has loaded you can even use it offline.

NATO Phonetic Alphabet Translator

Spell out text with the NATO phonetic alphabet, the Alfa, Bravo, Charlie code words used to say letters clearly over the phone or radio. Type your text to get the code words, or switch direction to turn code words back into plain text. Numbers and common punctuation are covered too, and everything runs in your browser so your text stays on your device.

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NATO code words

What is the NATO phonetic alphabet?

The NATO phonetic alphabet gives each letter a code word, so A becomes Alfa, B becomes Bravo, and C becomes Charlie. The words were chosen to sound clearly different from one another, which stops a listener from mixing up letters that sound alike, such as B and P or M and N. Its formal name is the international radiotelephony spelling alphabet, and it is used in aviation, the military, and any setting where a wrong letter matters. Spelling a name or a code this way is far more reliable than saying the letters on their own.

Why use our translator

·Free. No signup, no paywall, no limits.
·Works both ways. Turn text into code words, or decode code words back into text.
·Numbers included. Digits and common punctuation are spelled out too.
·Read aloud. Hear the code words spoken by your browser, at no cost.
·Runs in your browser. Nothing gets uploaded, your text stays with you.

The full alphabet

Here is the complete list of code words for every letter, plus the spoken forms for digits and a few punctuation marks.

Letter	Code word
A	Alfa
B	Bravo
C	Charlie
D	Delta
E	Echo
F	Foxtrot
G	Golf
H	Hotel
I	India
J	Juliett
K	Kilo
L	Lima
M	Mike
N	November
O	Oscar
P	Papa
Q	Quebec
R	Romeo
S	Sierra
T	Tango
U	Uniform
V	Victor
W	Whiskey
X	Xray
Y	Yankee
Z	Zulu

Character	Spoken as
0	Zero
1	One
2	Two
3	Three
4	Four
5	Five
6	Six
7	Seven
8	Eight
9	Nine
.	Stop
,	Comma
-	Dash
@	At

When to use the phonetic alphabet

Any time a single wrong letter causes a problem, spelling it out with code words removes the guesswork. Here are the most common reasons people use this tool:

·Over the phone. Read out an email address, a reference number, or a name so the other person gets it right the first time.
·Radio and aviation. Pass call signs and codes clearly when the line is noisy.
·Support and IT. Confirm serial numbers, license keys, and passwords without a typo.
·Learning it. Practice the code words and check your answers, or hear how each one sounds.

Frequently asked questions

What is the NATO phonetic alphabet?: It is a set of code words for the letters of the alphabet, where A is Alfa, B is Bravo, C is Charlie, and so on. Each word was picked to sound clearly different from the others, so a listener does not confuse similar letters like M and N over a phone call or a noisy radio. Its official name is the international radiotelephony spelling alphabet, and it is used by NATO, aviation, and the military.
How do I use this translator?: Type or paste your text and the code words appear right away, one input word per line. To go the other way, switch to NATO to text and paste code words like Sierra Oscar Sierra to get SOS back. Use the swap button to flip the direction and reuse the result.
Why is it spelled Alfa and Juliett?: Those are the official spellings. Alfa is written with an f instead of ph, and Juliett has two t's, so that speakers of other languages do not mispronounce them. The sounds are the same as Alpha and Juliet.
Does it cover numbers and punctuation?: Yes. Digits are spelled out as Zero through Nine, and a few common marks are included: a full stop is Stop, a comma is Comma, a hyphen is Dash, and the at sign is At. Anything else, like emoji or rare symbols, is skipped.
Can I hear it read aloud?: Yes. Click the Listen button to hear the result spoken by the voice built into your browser and device. It is free and nothing is uploaded. The button only shows if your browser supports text to speech.
Is my text private?: Yes. Everything runs in your browser, so your text is never sent to a server. Once the page has loaded you can even use it offline.