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The consonant sound /d/ is a common and important sound in English. You can hear the /d/ sound at the beginning of words like dog, in the middle of ladder, and at the end of bed. Learning how to pronounce /d/ correctly will help you speak more clearly and understand spoken English better.
Consonant Sound /d/
What is the /d/ Sound?
The /d/ sound is a voiced consonant. That means your vocal cords vibrate when you say it. It is produced by briefly blocking airflow with your tongue against the ridge just behind your upper front teeth, then releasing it.
It’s the sound you hear at the beginning of “dog”, the middle of “ladder”, or the end of “road.”
Key Features
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Sound Type: Consonant
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Voicing: Voiced (vocal cords vibrate)
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Place of Articulation: Alveolar (tongue touches the alveolar ridge)
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Manner of Articulation: Stop (airflow is stopped, then released)
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IPA Symbol: /d/
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Spelling Patterns: Often represented by the letter d, sometimes dd or ed
Below is the pronunciation of the /d/ sound along with an example: dog.
Words with Consonant Sound /d/
Beginning Consonant Sound /d/
| Word | IPA | Word | IPA |
| dad | /dæd/ | dinner | /ˈdɪnər/ |
| dance | /dæns/ | direction | /dəˈrɛkʃən/ |
| dark | /dɑːrk/ | dirty | /ˈdɜːrti/ |
| day | /deɪ/ | display | /dɪˈspleɪ/ |
| dead | /dɛd/ | distance | /ˈdɪstəns/ |
| deal | /diːl/ | doctor | /ˈdɑːktər/ |
| dear | /dɪr/ | dog | /dɔːɡ/ |
| death | /dɛθ/ | donut | /ˈdoʊnʌt/ |
| decide | /dɪˈsaɪd/ | door | /dɔːr/ |
| desk | /dɛsk/ | double | /ˈdʌbl/ |
| dish | /dɪʃ/ | doubt | /daʊt/ |
| dive | /daɪv/ | down | /daʊn/ |
| doctor | /ˈdɑːktər/ | dozen | /ˈdʌzn/ |
| dog | /dɔːɡ/ | dragon | /ˈdræɡən/ |
| door | /dɔːr/ | drama | /ˈdrɑːmə/ |
| down | /daʊn/ | draw | /drɔː/ |
| dozen | /ˈdʌzn/ | dream | /driːm/ |
| dust | /dʌst/ | dress | /drɛs/ |
| drive | /draɪv/ | drink | /drɪŋk/ |
| draw | /drɔː/ | drive | /draɪv/ |
| dry | /draɪ/ | drop | /drɑːp/ |
| duck | /dʌk/ | drum | /drʌm/ |
| dull | /dʌl/ | dry | /draɪ/ |
| duty | /ˈduːti/ | duck | /dʌk/ |
| diamond | /ˈdaɪəmənd/ | dumb | /dʌm/ |
| dance | /dæns/ | dump | /dʌmp/ |
| danger | /ˈdeɪndʒər/ | dust | /dʌst/ |
| dart | /dɑːrt/ | duty | /ˈduːti/ |
| deal | /diːl/ | dwarf | /dwɔːrf/ |
| dean | /diːn/ | dynamic | /daɪˈnæmɪk/ |
| deep | /diːp/ | dye | /daɪ/ |
| delay | /dɪˈleɪ/ | diner | /ˈdaɪnər/ |
| deliver | /dɪˈlɪvər/ | dig | /dɪɡ/ |
| demand | /dɪˈmænd/ | dip | /dɪp/ |
| deny | /dɪˈnaɪ/ | dime | /daɪm/ |
| depend | /dɪˈpɛnd/ | dimple | /ˈdɪmpl/ |
| design | /dɪˈzaɪn/ | dusk | /dʌsk/ |
| desire | /dɪˈzaɪər/ | duet | /duˈɛt/ |
| destroy | /dɪˈstrɔɪ/ | dare | /dɛr/ |
| develop | /dɪˈvɛləp/ | damp | /dæmp/ |
| diamond | /ˈdaɪəmənd/ | daisy | /ˈdeɪzi/ |
| different | /ˈdɪfərənt/ | difficult | /ˈdɪfɪkəlt/ |
Middle Consonant Sound /d/
| Word | IPA | Word | IPA |
| ladder | /ˈlædər/ | needed | /ˈniːdɪd/ |
| middle | /ˈmɪdəl/ | sided | /ˈsaɪdɪd/ |
| model | /ˈmɑːdəl/ | loaded | /ˈloʊdɪd/ |
| body | /ˈbɑːdi/ | waited | /ˈweɪtɪd/ |
| lady | /ˈleɪdi/ | decided | /dɪˈsaɪdɪd/ |
| ready | /ˈrɛdi/ | avoided | /əˈvɔɪdɪd/ |
| shadow | /ˈʃædoʊ/ | folded | /ˈfoʊldɪd/ |
| medal | /ˈmɛdəl/ | guarded | /ˈɡɑːrdɪd/ |
| puddle | /ˈpʌdəl/ | awarded | /əˈwɔːrdɪd/ |
| handle | /ˈhændəl/ | guided | /ˈɡaɪdɪd/ |
| today | /təˈdeɪ/ | hiding | /ˈhaɪdɪŋ/ |
| birthday | /ˈbɜːrθdeɪ/ | coding | /ˈkoʊdɪŋ/ |
| teddy | /ˈtɛdi/ | padding | /ˈpædɪŋ/ |
| hoodie | /ˈhʊdi/ | wedding | /ˈwɛdɪŋ/ |
| muddy | /ˈmʌdi/ | reading | /ˈriːdɪŋ/ |
| radar | /ˈreɪdɑːr/ | heading | /ˈhɛdɪŋ/ |
| coding | /ˈkoʊdɪŋ/ | bidding | /ˈbɪdɪŋ/ |
| hiding | /ˈhaɪdɪŋ/ | pudding | /ˈpʊdɪŋ/ |
| deciding | /dɪˈsaɪdɪŋ/ | feeding | /ˈfiːdɪŋ/ |
| sudden | /ˈsʌdən/ | bleeding | /ˈbliːdɪŋ/ |
| ladder | /ˈlædər/ | kidding | /ˈkɪdɪŋ/ |
| cheddar | /ˈtʃɛdər/ | editing | /ˈɛdɪtɪŋ/ |
| widow | /ˈwɪdoʊ/ | avoiding | /əˈvɔɪdɪŋ/ |
| order | /ˈɔːrdər/ | invading | /ɪnˈveɪdɪŋ/ |
| garden | /ˈɡɑːrdən/ | rewarding | /rɪˈwɔːrdɪŋ/ |
| harder | /ˈhɑːrdər/ | defending | /dɪˈfɛndɪŋ/ |
| border | /ˈbɔːrdər/ | demanding | /dɪˈmændɪŋ/ |
| murder | /ˈmɜːrdər/ | understanding | /ˌʌndərˈstændɪŋ/ |
| rider | /ˈraɪdər/ | commanding | /kəˈmændɪŋ/ |
| ladder | /ˈlædər/ | attending | /əˈtɛndɪŋ/ |
| powder | /ˈpaʊdər/ | blending | /ˈblɛndɪŋ/ |
| invade | /ɪnˈveɪd/ | sending | /ˈsɛndɪŋ/ |
| parade | /pəˈreɪd/ | lending | /ˈlɛndɪŋ/ |
| faded | /ˈfeɪdɪd/ | bending | /ˈbɛndɪŋ/ |
| coded | /ˈkoʊdɪd/ | funding | /ˈfʌndɪŋ/ |
| traded | /ˈtreɪdɪd/ | handling | /ˈhændlɪŋ/ |
| added | /ˈædɪd/ | wondering | /ˈwʌndərɪŋ/ |
Ending Consonant Sound /d/
| Word | IPA | Word | IPA |
| bad | /bæd/ | achieved | /əˈtʃiːvd/ |
| dad | /dæd/ | saved | /seɪvd/ |
| had | /hæd/ | behaved | /bɪˈheɪvd/ |
| mad | /mæd/ | grabbed | /ɡræbd/ |
| sad | /sæd/ | rubbed | /rʌbd/ |
| glad | /ɡlæd/ | stabbed | /stæbd/ |
| red | /rɛd/ | robbed | /rɑːbd/ |
| bed | /bɛd/ | hugged | /hʌɡd/ |
| led | /lɛd/ | begged | /bɛɡd/ |
| fed | /fɛd/ | plugged | /plʌɡd/ |
| shed | /ʃɛd/ | jogged | /dʒɒɡd/ |
| spread | /sprɛd/ | dragged | /dræɡd/ |
| thread | /θrɛd/ | climbed | /klaɪmd/ |
| read (past) | /rɛd/ | burned | /bɜːrnd/ |
| said | /sɛd/ | turned | /tɜːrnd/ |
| paid | /peɪd/ | learned | /lɜːrnd/ |
| played | /pleɪd/ | earned | /ɜːrnd/ |
| stayed | /steɪd/ | warned | /wɔːrnd/ |
| prayed | /preɪd/ | joined | /dʒɔɪnd/ |
| delayed | /dɪˈleɪd/ | cleaned | /kliːnd/ |
| obeyed | /əˈbeɪd/ | rained | /reɪnd/ |
| cleaned | /kliːnd/ | explained | /ɪkˈspleɪnd/ |
| opened | /ˈoʊpənd/ | complained | /kəmˈpleɪnd/ |
| called | /kɔːld/ | listened | /ˈlɪsənd/ |
| mailed | /meɪld/ | happened | /ˈhæpənd/ |
| failed | /feɪld/ | imagined | /ɪˈmædʒɪnd/ |
| filled | /fɪld/ | damaged | /ˈdæmɪdʒd/ |
| chilled | /tʃɪld/ | managed | /ˈmænɪdʒd/ |
| spilled | /spɪld/ | judged | /dʒʌdʒd/ |
| pulled | /pʊld/ | changed | /tʃeɪndʒd/ |
| rolled | /roʊld/ | charged | /tʃɑːrdʒd/ |
| traveled | /ˈtrævəld/ | encouraged | /ɪnˈkɜːrɪdʒd/ |
| answered | /ˈænsərd/ | used | /juːzd/ |
| loved | /lʌvd/ | closed | /kloʊzd/ |
| lived | /lɪvd/ | raised | /reɪzd/ |
| moved | /muːvd/ | praised | /preɪzd/ |
| proved | /pruːvd/ | amazed | /əˈmeɪzd/ |
| improved | /ɪmˈpruːvd/ | amazed | /əˈmeɪzd/ |
| removed | /rɪˈmuːvd/ | gazed | /ɡeɪzd/ |
| arrived | /əˈraɪvd/ | pleased | /pliːzd/ |
| believed | /bɪˈliːvd/ | teased | /tiːzd/ |