How these sounds differ
ɸ
Voiceless Bilabial Fricative
- Voicing
- voiceless
- Place
- bilabial
- Manner
- fricative
- Class
- consonant
- In languages
- 35 / 500
β
Voiced Bilabial Fricative
- Voicing
- voiced
- Place
- bilabial
- Manner
- fricative
- Class
- consonant
- In languages
- 53 / 500
Cross-linguistic distribution
35
Languages with ɸ
11
Languages with both
53
Languages with β
11 languages in our database contrast both sounds as distinct phonemes. Languages that have one but not the other tend to merge them into a single phoneme — meaning speakers of those languages often struggle to hear the distinction when learning a language that contrasts them.
Has ɸ, not β (20)
Guahibo
Guahiboan
Cayapa
Barbacoan
TARASCAN
Tarascan
Alabama
Muskogean
FASU
Language isolate
WEST MAKIAN
North Halmahera
KEWA
Nuclear Trans New Guinea
JACALTEC
Mayan
ALAMBLAK
Sepik
HIGHLAND CHINANTEC
Otomanguean
Andoke
Language isolate
HUAVE
Huavean
Kharia
Austroasiatic
KWAIO
Austronesian
IRARUTU
Austronesian
HIXKARYANA
Cariban
Kanuri
Saharan
Iai
Austronesian
Otomi
Otomanguean
Yuchi
Language isolate
Has β, not ɸ (20)
Kawesqar
Kawesqar
CAYUVAVA
Language isolate
TOL
Jicaquean
KOHUMONO
Atlantic-Congo
Ejagham de l'ouest
Atlantic-Congo
Chacobo
Pano-Tacanan
Kaliai
Austronesian
Aleut
Eskimo-Aleut
Moxo
Arawakan
NANAI
Tungusic
Mixtec
Otomanguean
Cheremis
Uralic
Gadsup
Nuclear Trans New Guinea
AMUZGO
Otomanguean
NENETS
Uralic
Pashto
Indo-European
OGBIA
Atlantic-Congo
DAHALO
Afro-Asiatic
ROTOKAS
North Bougainville
Movima
Language isolate