Contents
In this reference, we’ll explore the consonant sound /m/ in English: how to pronounce it, where it appears in words, and how to practice it with ease.
The Consonant Sound /m/
What Is the /m/ Sound?
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IPA Symbol: /m/
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Sound Type: Voiced bilabial nasal
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Voicing: Voiced – your vocal cords vibrate
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Mouth Position: Lips together
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Airflow: Through the nose, not the mouth
How to Pronounce /m/
The /m/ sound is called a bilabial nasal because it’s made with both lips (bilabial) and air flowing through the nose (nasal).
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Close your lips completely (just like when you say “mmm…” after tasting delicious food).
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Let the air come out through your nose, not your mouth.
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Use your voice — your vocal cords should vibrate.
Try humming the sound /m/ — it should feel like a gentle buzz in your nose and lips.
You can hear the /m/ sound clearly in this audio, together with the example man.
Tongue Twisters for /m/ Sound Practice
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My mom made muffins on Monday morning.
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Many monkeys make messy music on Monday mornings.
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More mice munch my mini muffins!
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Minnie Mouse met Max in the middle of the maze.
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Mom’s marmalade muffins made my morning marvelous.
Words with the Consonant Sound /m/
Words with /m/ Sound at the Beginning
| Word | IPA |
|---|---|
| man | /mæn/ |
| mom | /mɑːm/ |
| map | /mæp/ |
| mad | /mæd/ |
| make | /meɪk/ |
| meal | /miːl/ |
| meat | /miːt/ |
| meet | /miːt/ |
| moon | /muːn/ |
| mood | /muːd/ |
| mouse | /maʊs/ |
| mouth | /maʊθ/ |
| milk | /mɪlk/ |
| mine | /maɪn/ |
| might | /maɪt/ |
| minute | /ˈmɪnɪt/ |
| mix | /mɪks/ |
| mind | /maɪnd/ |
| mess | /mɛs/ |
| mask | /mæsk/ |
| mass | /mæs/ |
| mark | /mɑːrk/ |
| match | /mætʃ/ |
| mat | /mæt/ |
| manly | /ˈmænli/ |
| mama | /ˈmɑːmə/ |
| mango | /ˈmæŋɡoʊ/ |
| mall | /mɔːl/ |
| malt | /mɔːlt/ |
| male | /meɪl/ |
| marry | /ˈmæri/ |
| marble | /ˈmɑːrbəl/ |
| margin | /ˈmɑːrdʒɪn/ |
| market | /ˈmɑːrkɪt/ |
| marine | /məˈriːn/ |
| master | /ˈmæstər/ |
| matchbox | /ˈmætʃbɒks/ |
| machine | /məˈʃiːn/ |
| magic | /ˈmædʒɪk/ |
| magnet | /ˈmæɡnɪt/ |
| major | /ˈmeɪdʒər/ |
| makeup | /ˈmeɪkʌp/ |
| maple | /ˈmeɪpəl/ |
| marvel | /ˈmɑːrvəl/ |
| manage | /ˈmænɪdʒ/ |
| manner | /ˈmænər/ |
| mantle | /ˈmæntəl/ |
| manhole | /ˈmænhoʊl/ |
| member | /ˈmɛmbər/ |
| memory | /ˈmɛməri/ |
| mention | /ˈmɛnʃən/ |
| melody | /ˈmɛlədi/ |
| melon | /ˈmɛlən/ |
| melt | /mɛlt/ |
| metal | /ˈmɛtəl/ |
| meter | /ˈmiːtər/ |
| method | /ˈmɛθəd/ |
| message | /ˈmɛsɪdʒ/ |
| mercy | /ˈmɜːrsi/ |
| merit | /ˈmɛrɪt/ |
| middle | /ˈmɪdəl/ |
| migrate | /ˈmaɪɡreɪt/ |
| mimic | /ˈmɪmɪk/ |
| million | /ˈmɪljən/ |
| mineral | /ˈmɪnərəl/ |
| minor | /ˈmaɪnər/ |
| minus | /ˈmaɪnəs/ |
| miracle | /ˈmɪrəkl/ |
| mirror | /ˈmɪrər/ |
| missile | /ˈmɪsaɪl/ |
| mission | /ˈmɪʃən/ |
| mixup | /ˈmɪksʌp/ |
| model | /ˈmɒdəl/ |
| modem | /ˈmoʊdəm/ |
| modern | /ˈmɒdərn/ |
| modest | /ˈmɒdɪst/ |
| modify | /ˈmɒdɪfaɪ/ |
| module | /ˈmɒdʒuːl/ |
| moment | /ˈmoʊmənt/ |
| monkey | /ˈmʌŋki/ |
| monster | /ˈmɒnstər/ |
| month | /mʌnθ/ |
| morning | /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/ |
| motor | /ˈmoʊtər/ |
| mountain | /ˈmaʊntən/ |
| mousepad | /ˈmaʊspæd/ |
| muffle | /ˈmʌfəl/ |
| muffin | /ˈmʌfɪn/ |
| multicolor | /ˌmʌltiˈkʌlər/ |
| multiply | /ˈmʌltɪplaɪ/ |
| mural | /ˈmjʊrəl/ |
| muscle | /ˈmʌsəl/ |
| museum | /mjuˈziːəm/ |
| mustard | /ˈmʌstərd/ |
| music | /ˈmjuːzɪk/ |
| mutual | /ˈmjuːtʃuəl/ |
| mystery | /ˈmɪstəri/ |
| myth | /mɪθ/ |
Words with /m/ Sound in the Middle
| Word | IPA |
|---|---|
| camera | /ˈkæmərə/ |
| summer | /ˈsʌmər/ |
| hammer | /ˈhæmər/ |
| lemon | /ˈlɛmən/ |
| woman | /ˈwʊmən/ |
| memory | /ˈmɛməri/ |
| drama | /ˈdrɑːmə/ |
| tomato | /təˈmeɪtoʊ/ |
| cinema | /ˈsɪnəmə/ |
| coming | /ˈkʌmɪŋ/ |
| camel | /ˈkæməl/ |
| jumper | /ˈdʒʌmpər/ |
| number | /ˈnʌmbər/ |
| moment | /ˈmoʊmənt/ |
| famous | /ˈfeɪməs/ |
| simple | /ˈsɪmpəl/ |
| remove | /rɪˈmuːv/ |
| climate | /ˈklaɪmət/ |
| dummy | /ˈdʌmi/ |
| summit | /ˈsʌmɪt/ |
| symbol | /ˈsɪmbəl/ |
| demand | /dɪˈmænd/ |
| commit | /kəˈmɪt/ |
| promise | /ˈprɒmɪs/ |
| comedy | /ˈkɒmədi/ |
| remain | /rɪˈmeɪn/ |
| damage | /ˈdæmɪdʒ/ |
| drama | /ˈdrɑːmə/ |
| emotion | /ɪˈmoʊʃən/ |
| /ˈiːmeɪl/ | |
| rumor | /ˈruːmər/ |
| timing | /ˈtaɪmɪŋ/ |
| alarmed | /əˈlɑːrmd/ |
| domain | /doʊˈmeɪn/ |
| tomato | /təˈmeɪtoʊ/ |
| amaze | /əˈmeɪz/ |
| format | /ˈfɔːrmæt/ |
| gamma | /ˈɡæmə/ |
| ammo | /ˈæmoʊ/ |
| comma | /ˈkɒmə/ |
| aroma | /əˈroʊmə/ |
| humor | /ˈhjuːmər/ |
| common | /ˈkɒmən/ |
| homely | /ˈhoʊmli/ |
| armor | /ˈɑːrmər/ |
| yummy | /ˈjʌmi/ |
| hammering | /ˈhæmərɪŋ/ |
| rematch | /ˈriːmætʃ/ |
| animals | /ˈænɪməlz/ |
| summit | /ˈsʌmɪt/ |
| formula | /ˈfɔːrmjələ/ |
| harmony | /ˈhɑːrməni/ |
| diploma | /dɪˈploʊmə/ |
| lament | /ləˈment/ |
| famine | /ˈfæmɪn/ |
| humorist | /ˈhjuːmərɪst/ |
| remover | /rɪˈmuːvər/ |
| familiar | /fəˈmɪliər/ |
| community | /kəˈmjuːnəti/ |
| ammonia | /əˈmoʊniə/ |
| roommate | /ˈruːmmeɪt/ |
| commuter | /kəˈmjuːtər/ |
| lamest | /ˈleɪməst/ |
| climber | /ˈklaɪmər/ |
| member | /ˈmɛmbər/ |
| among | /əˈmʌŋ/ |
| amount | /əˈmaʊnt/ |
| remade | /ˌriːˈmeɪd/ |
| amaze | /əˈmeɪz/ |
| aroma | /əˈroʊmə/ |
| stamina | /ˈstæmɪnə/ |
| memento | /məˈmentoʊ/ |
| emotion | /ɪˈmoʊʃən/ |
| chemical | /ˈkemɪkəl/ |
| mammal | /ˈmæməl/ |
| remain | /rɪˈmeɪn/ |
| anatomy | /əˈnætəmi/ |
| segment | /ˈseɡmənt/ |
| remote | /rɪˈmoʊt/ |
| domain | /doʊˈmeɪn/ |
| diploma | /dɪˈploʊmə/ |
| lament | /ləˈment/ |
| gamma | /ˈɡæmə/ |
| formula | /ˈfɔːrmjələ/ |
| timing | /ˈtaɪmɪŋ/ |
| naming | /ˈneɪmɪŋ/ |
| homeless | /ˈhoʊmləs/ |
| emailed | /ˈiːmeɪld/ |
| commerce | /ˈkɒmɜːrs/ |
| removal | /rɪˈmuːvəl/ |
| example | /ɪɡˈzæmpəl/ |
| climbing | /ˈklaɪmɪŋ/ |
| demolish | /dɪˈmɒlɪʃ/ |
| comedian | /kəˈmiːdiən/ |
Words with /m/ Sound at the End
| Word | IPA |
|---|---|
| arm | /ɑːrm/ |
| farm | /fɑːrm/ |
| charm | /tʃɑːrm/ |
| warm | /wɔːrm/ |
| calm | /kɑːm/ |
| alarm | /əˈlɑːrm/ |
| team | /tiːm/ |
| dream | /driːm/ |
| cream | /kriːm/ |
| stream | /striːm/ |
| beam | /biːm/ |
| seem | /siːm/ |
| scheme | /skiːm/ |
| scream | /skriːm/ |
| swim | /swɪm/ |
| slim | /slɪm/ |
| him | /hɪm/ |
| them | /ðem/ |
| stem | /stɛm/ |
| item | /ˈaɪtəm/ |
| emblem | /ˈɛmbləm/ |
| bottom | /ˈbɒtəm/ |
| anthem | /ˈænθəm/ |
| problem | /ˈprɒbləm/ |
| victim | /ˈvɪktɪm/ |
| wisdom | /ˈwɪzdəm/ |
| random | /ˈrændəm/ |
| system | /ˈsɪstəm/ |
| autumn | /ˈɔːtəm/ |
| maximum | /ˈmæksɪməm/ |
| minimum | /ˈmɪnɪməm/ |
| optimum | /ˈɒptɪməm/ |
| outcome | /ˈaʊtkʌm/ |
| income | /ˈɪnkʌm/ |
| become | /bɪˈkʌm/ |
| welcome | /ˈwɛlkəm/ |
| handsome | /ˈhænsəm/ |
| gruesome | /ˈɡruːsəm/ |
| awesome | /ˈɔːsəm/ |
| some | /sʌm/ |
| come | /kʌm/ |
| home | /hoʊm/ |
| dome | /doʊm/ |
| poem | /ˈpoʊəm/ |
| gnome | /noʊm/ |
| chrome | /kroʊm/ |
| loam | /loʊm/ |
| roam | /roʊm/ |
| tomb | /tuːm/ |
| womb | /wuːm/ |
| palm | /pɑːm/ |
| balm | /bɑːm/ |
| film | /fɪlm/ |
| realm | /relm/ |
| overwhelm | /ˌoʊvərˈwelm/ |
| disarm | /dɪsˈɑːrm/ |
| reform | /rɪˈfɔːrm/ |
| perform | /pərˈfɔːrm/ |
| inform | /ɪnˈfɔːrm/ |
| transform | /trænsˈfɔːrm/ |
| affirm | /əˈfɜːrm/ |
| confirm | /kənˈfɜːrm/ |
| platform | /ˈplætfɔːrm/ |
| uniform | /ˈjuːnɪfɔːrm/ |
| storm | /stɔːrm/ |
| form | /fɔːrm/ |
| norm | /nɔːrm/ |
| warm | /wɔːrm/ |
| swarm | /swɔːrm/ |
| farm | /fɑːrm/ |
| charm | /tʃɑːrm/ |
| alarm | /əˈlɑːrm/ |
| claim | /kleɪm/ |
| aim | /eɪm/ |
| blame | /bleɪm/ |
| flame | /fleɪm/ |
| game | /ɡeɪm/ |
| name | /neɪm/ |
| same | /seɪm/ |
| frame | /freɪm/ |
| shame | /ʃeɪm/ |
| fame | /feɪm/ |
| lame | /leɪm/ |
| time | /taɪm/ |
| prime | /praɪm/ |
| crime | /kraɪm/ |
| climb | /klaɪm/ |
| mime | /maɪm/ |
| rhyme | /raɪm/ |
| sublime | /səˈblaɪm/ |
| grime | /ɡraɪm/ |
| slime | /slaɪm/ |
| chasm | /ˈkæzəm/ |
| prism | /ˈprɪzəm/ |
| sarcasm | /ˈsɑːrkæzəm/ |