NATO Phonetic Alphabet Translator
Spell names, postcodes and booking codes in the NATO phonetic alphabet (Alfa, Bravo, Charlie…).
About the NATO Phonetic Alphabet Translator
The International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet, adopted by ICAO, NATO and the ITU in the 1950s, gives each letter a code word chosen to be understood across languages and over poor phone or radio lines. ICAO spells Alfa and Juliett this way so French and other speakers pronounce them correctly.
The formula
Each letter → its code word
The alphabet
| Letter | Word | Letter | Word |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Alfa | N | November |
| B | Bravo | O | Oscar |
| C | Charlie | P | Papa |
| D | Delta | Q | Quebec |
| E | Echo | R | Romeo |
| F | Foxtrot | S | Sierra |
| G | Golf | T | Tango |
| H | Hotel | U | Uniform |
| I | India | V | Victor |
| J | Juliett | W | Whiskey |
| K | Kilo | X | X-ray |
| L | Lima | Y | Yankee |
| M | Mike | Z | Zulu |
Worked example
Example: Spoken as = Quebec X-ray Seven — Nine Papa Lima
- Input: Text to spell: QX7 9PL.
- Formula: Each letter → its code word
- Result: Spoken as = Quebec X-ray Seven — Nine Papa Lima
Questions people ask
Why 'Alfa' not 'Alpha'?
ICAO's official spelling avoids the 'ph' that some languages wouldn't read as 'f'.
Do pilots say 'Niner'?
Yes, aviation radio often says 'Niner' for 9 and 'Tree' for 3; everyday use says Nine and Three.