Decoding the letter N

The letter N, lowercase n (pronounced /en/) normally represents IPA phoneme /n/. For examples see IPA phoneme /n/.

Before /k/ or /g/ it normally represents /ŋ/ as in ink /ɪŋk/ or finger /fɪŋɡər/. In other cases "n" can optionally be pronounced as in an alternative pronunciation of income as. There are no minimal pairs in which the difference is and  or

Before /p/ or /b/ "n" can be pronounced /m/ as in an alternative pronunciation of input as. There are no minimal pairs in which the difference is /np/ and /mp/, or /nb/ and /mb/.

Exceptions
 * Silent n: autumn - column - condemn - hymn - solemn

N in combinations
Main article: Decoding exercises: "ng"
 * ng
 * as /ŋ/: hang - hanged - hanger - hanging - hangs
 * as /ŋg/: anger - finger - hungry
 * as /ng/: See IPA phoneme /n/ § Lack of assimilation
 * as /ŋk/: length - strength
 * as /ndʒ/: angel - arrange - danger - orange


 * gn
 * as /n/: align - champagne - foreign - sign
 * as /gn/: ignore - recognize - significant
 * as /nj/: cognac - lasagna - lasagne. See also IPA phonetic symbol [ɲ]


 * nn
 * as /n/:
 * To make the vowel short (see Double consonants): connect - dinner - funny - tennis
 * Prefix "in", with only one "n" pronounced: innovate - innumerable


 * as /n.n/: meanness - nonnegotiable - unnecessary - unnoticed - unnumbered

Lack of assimilation
Normally "nc", "nk" and "nq" sound /ŋk/. For examples of /nk/ see IPA phoneme /n/ § Lack of assimilation.

Spanish
Spanish spelling requires "mb", "mp", "nf" and "nv"; "nb", "np", "mf" and "mv" are forbidden. For this reason many Spanish speakers will spell or.