Spell any word or number with the NATO phonetic alphabet, or turn code words back into text. The full chart is below the tool. Free, private, and runs entirely in your browser.
Each letter and digit is replaced by a fixed code word chosen to sound distinct over a poor radio or phone line. The translator maps your text one character at a time and, in decoding mode, matches the code words back to letters.
| Letter | Code word | Letter | Code 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 |
Digits: 0 = Zero, 1 = Wun, 2 = Too, 3 = Tree, 4 = Fower, 5 = Fife, 6 = Six, 7 = Seven, 8 = Ait, 9 = Niner.
Why is it Alfa and Juliett? The spellings Alfa and Juliett help speakers of other languages pronounce the words correctly.
Is it the same as the ICAO alphabet? Yes. The NATO phonetic alphabet is the ICAO radiotelephony spelling alphabet, also used by the ITU and many other organizations.
Spelling Figuro 2026 gives Foxtrot India Golf Uniform Romeo Oscar, then Too Zero Too Six. A callsign such as K9X becomes Kilo Niner X-ray.
What are the digit words? Zero, Wun, Too, Tree, Fower, Fife, Six, Seven, Ait and Niner.
Can I use it for passwords and codes? Yes. It helps read out serial numbers, booking codes and license plates without mistakes.
The alphabet was developed in the 1950s by the International Civil Aviation Organization to replace earlier spelling alphabets that were hard to understand across languages. The current version was finalized in 1956 after testing with speakers of many languages, and it was later adopted by NATO, the ITU and many aviation, maritime and emergency services.
Use this translator to read out names, serial numbers, booking references and license plates over the phone, or to learn the alphabet for aviation, radio or military exams. Type your text, read the code words aloud and check that the listener has each letter.
How do I learn the alphabet quickly? Practice by spelling the names of the places and people around you, and use the chart above for reference.
Is there a version for Morse code? Yes. The Morse code translator on this site converts text to dots and dashes.