# Spelling out words

You can spell out words one character at a time. This can be useful for names and acronyms that the system doesn't understand, codes that can't be spoken as a word, or special characters and diacritics.

To spell something, say spell out followed by the characters that you want the system to write in your document.

To dictate a single letter, number or symbol, say spell out followed by the name of the character.

By default, the system will write letters in lowercase. To get an uppercase letter, say uppercase or capital.

For example, you want to write the cancer code pT2aN1. Say spell out P uppercase T two A uppercase N one.

### TIPS

- You can use the standard English letter pronunciations or the NATO phonetic alphabet, as follows:

  Alfa, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, India, Juliett, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Uniform, Victor, Whiskey, X-ray, Yankee, Zulu

- The system uses pauses in your speech to detect when you have finished spelling. Don't pause while you're spelling something out.
- If you often need to spell the same word, you can instead add it to the speech recognition vocabulary. Once you have added it to the vocabulary, the system will recognize it when you say it and you won't need to spell it out.
- Select <text> and correct <text> commands don't work on words that you have spelled out (where the variable <text> part of the command is the spelled-out word). To edit a word that you just spelled out, you can still say select that and correct that as normal.

## List of characters

The following table lists the letters, numbers and symbols that are available for US English when you use the spell out command. Some characters might be displayed differently in your app, depending on the available fonts.

To get | Say
--- | ---
Numerals 0-9 | Say the numeral. Optionally, say numeral followed by the numeral. For example: zero | numeral zero
Uppercase letters A-Z | Say capital or uppercase followed by the letter or its NATO spelling word. For example: capital A | capital Alfa | uppercase A | uppercase Alfa
Lowercase letters a-z | Say the letter or its NATO spelling word; the system will write it lowercase by default. Optionally, say letter or lowercase followed by the letter or its NATO spelling word. For example: A | Alfa | letter A | letter Alfa | lowercase A | lowercase Alfa
Double letters aa-zz | Say double followed by the letter or its NATO spelling word. For example: double A | double Alfa
! | exclamation mark | exclamation point
" | double quote | double quotes | begin double quote | begin double quotes | begin quotation | begin quotation marks | begin quote | begin quotes | left quote | open double quote | open double quotes | open quotation | open quotation marks | open quote | open quotes | quote | quotes | close double quote | close double quotes | close quotation | close quotation marks | close quote | close quotes | end double quote | end double quotes | end of double quote | end of double quotes | end of quote | end quotation | end quotation marks | end quote | end quotes | right quote | unquote
# | hash | hash mark | hash sign | hash tag | number | number sign | pound | pound sign | sharp | sharp sign
$ | dollar | dollar sign
% | percent | percent sign | percent symbol
& | ampersand | and | and sign | and symbol
' | apostrophe | begin single quote | begin single quotes | inverted comma | open single quote | quote | single quotation mark | single quote | close single quote | end single quote | end single quotes | unquote
( | begin paren | begin parentheses | begin parenthesis | bracket | brackets | left bracket | left paren | left parenthesis | open bracket | open brackets | open paren | open parentheses | open parenthesis | parentheses
) | bracket | brackets | close bracket | close brackets | close paren | close parentheses | close parenthesis | end paren | end parentheses | end parenthesis | right bracket | right paren | right parenthesis
* | asterisk | star | star symbol
+ | add sign | plus | plus sign | plus symbol
, | comma
- | hyphen | minus sign
. | dot | full stop | period | point
/ | forward slash | slash
: | colon | colon mark
; | semicolon
< | left angle bracket | left angle brackets | open angle bracket | open angle brackets | less than | less than sign | less than symbol
= | equal | equal sign | equals | equals sign
> | greater than | greater than sign | greater than symbol | close angle bracket | close angle brackets | right angle bracket | right angle brackets
? | question mark
@ | at | at sign
[ | left bracket | left square bracket | open bracket | open brackets | open square bracket | open square brackets | start bracket | start brackets
\ | backslash
| no break space | nonbreakable space | unbreakable space
| space | space bar
] | close bracket | close brackets | close square bracket | close square brackets | end bracket | end brackets | right bracket | right square bracket
^ | caret | hat
_ | underscore
` | back tick | backquote
{ | left brace | left curly brace | left curly bracket | open brace | open braces | open curly brace | open curly braces | open curly bracket | open curly brackets
| | bar | vertical | vertical bar
} | close brace | close braces | close curly brace | close curly braces | close curly bracket | close curly brackets | right brace | right curly brace | right curly bracket
~ | centered tilde | tilde
¡ | inverted exclamation mark | inverted exclamation point
¢ | cent | cent sign
£ | pound | pound sterling | sterling | sterling sign
¤ | general currency | general currency sign | general currency symbol
¥ | yen | yen sign
¦ | broken vertical bar
§ | section | section sign | section symbol
© | copyright | copyright symbol
ª | feminine ordinal | feminine ordinal sign | feminine ordinal symbol
« | begin angle quote | begin angle quotes | open French quotation mark | open French quotation marks | open angle quote | open angle quotes | open euro quote | open euro quotes | open guillemet | open guillemets
¬ | logical not | logical not sign | logical not symbol | not | not sign | not symbol
| soft hyphen
® | registered | registered symbol | registered trademark | registered trademark sign | registered trademark symbol
¯ | macron | macron sign | macron symbol
° | degree | degree symbol
± | plus minus | plus minus sign | plus minus symbol | plus or minus | plus or minus sign | plus or minus symbol
² | square | squared | superscript two
³ | cube | cubed | superscript three
µ | Greek mu | micro | micro sign | micro symbol
¶ | paragraph | paragraph sign | paragraph symbol
· | center dot | centered dot | middle dot
¹ | superscript one
º | masculine ordinal | masculine ordinal sign | masculine ordinal symbol
» | close French quotation mark | close French quotation marks | close angle quote | close angle quotes | close euro quote | close euro quotes | close guillemet | close guillemets | end angle quote | end angle quotes
¼ | one quarter | one quarter sign | one quarter symbol | quarter | quarter sign | quarter symbol
½ | half | half sign | half symbol | one half | one half sign | one half symbol
¾ | three quarters | three quarters sign | three quarters symbol
¿ | inverted question mark
À | capital A accent grave | capital A grave | capital Alfa accent grave | capital Alfa grave | uppercase A accent grave | uppercase A grave | uppercase Alfa accent grave | uppercase Alfa grave
Á | capital A accent acute | capital A acute | capital Alfa accent acute | capital Alfa acute | uppercase A accent acute | uppercase A acute | uppercase Alfa accent acute | uppercase Alfa acute
Â | capital A accent circumflex | capital A circumflex | capital Alfa accent circumflex | capital Alfa circumflex | uppercase A accent circumflex | uppercase A circumflex | uppercase Alfa accent circumflex | uppercase Alfa circumflex
Ã | capital A accent tilde | capital A tilde | capital Alfa accent tilde | capital Alfa tilde | uppercase A accent tilde | uppercase A tilde | uppercase Alfa accent tilde | uppercase Alfa tilde
Ä | capital A accent umlaut | capital A dieresis | capital A umlaut | capital Alfa accent umlaut | capital Alfa dieresis | capital Alfa umlaut | uppercase A accent umlaut | uppercase A dieresis | uppercase A umlaut | uppercase Alfa accent umlaut | uppercase Alfa dieresis | uppercase Alfa umlaut
Å | capital A ring | capital A ring above | capital Alfa ring | capital Alfa ring above | uppercase A ring | uppercase A ring above | uppercase Alfa ring | uppercase Alfa ring above
Æ | capital AE diphthong | capital AE ligature | capital Alfa Echo diphthong | capital Alfa Echo ligature | uppercase AE diphthong | uppercase AE ligature | uppercase Alfa Echo diphthong | uppercase Alfa Echo ligature
Ç | capital C accent cedilla | capital C cedilla | capital Charlie accent cedilla | capital Charlie cedilla | uppercase C accent cedilla | uppercase C cedilla | uppercase Charlie accent cedilla | uppercase Charlie cedilla
È | capital E accent grave | capital E grave | capital Echo accent grave | capital Echo grave | uppercase E accent grave | uppercase E grave | uppercase Echo accent grave | uppercase Echo grave
É | capital E accent acute | capital E acute | capital Echo accent acute | capital Echo acute | uppercase E accent acute | uppercase E acute | uppercase Echo accent acute | uppercase Echo acute
Ê | capital E accent circumflex | capital E circumflex | capital Echo accent circumflex | capital Echo circumflex | uppercase E accent circumflex | uppercase E circumflex | uppercase Echo accent circumflex | uppercase Echo circumflex
Ë | capital E accent umlaut | capital E dieresis | capital E umlaut | capital Echo accent umlaut | capital Echo dieresis | capital Echo umlaut | uppercase E accent umlaut | uppercase E dieresis | uppercase E umlaut | uppercase Echo accent umlaut | uppercase Echo dieresis | uppercase Echo umlaut
Ì | capital I accent grave | capital I grave | capital India accent grave | capital India grave | uppercase I accent grave | uppercase I grave | uppercase India accent grave | uppercase India grave
Í | capital I accent acute | capital I acute | capital India accent acute | capital India acute | uppercase I accent acute | uppercase I acute | uppercase India accent acute | uppercase India acute
Î | capital I accent circumflex | capital I circumflex | capital India accent circumflex | capital India circumflex | uppercase I accent circumflex | uppercase I circumflex | uppercase India accent circumflex | uppercase India circumflex
Ï | capital I accent umlaut | capital I dieresis | capital I umlaut | capital India accent umlaut | capital India dieresis | capital India umlaut | uppercase I accent umlaut | uppercase I dieresis | uppercase I umlaut | uppercase India accent umlaut | uppercase India dieresis | uppercase India umlaut
Ð | capital Icelandic eth | capital eth | uppercase Icelandic eth | uppercase eth
Ñ | capital N accent tilde | capital N tilde | capital N yay | capital November accent tilde | capital November tilde | uppercase N accent tilde | uppercase N tilde | uppercase N yay | uppercase November accent tilde | uppercase November tilde
Ò | capital O accent grave | capital O grave | capital Oscar accent grave | capital Oscar grave | uppercase O accent grave | uppercase O grave | uppercase Oscar accent grave | uppercase Oscar grave
Ó | capital O accent acute | capital O acute | capital Oscar accent acute | capital Oscar acute | uppercase O accent acute | uppercase O acute | uppercase Oscar accent acute | uppercase Oscar acute
Ô | capital O accent circumflex | capital O circumflex | capital Oscar accent circumflex | capital Oscar circumflex | uppercase O accent circumflex | uppercase O circumflex | uppercase Oscar accent circumflex | uppercase Oscar circumflex
Õ | capital O accent tilde | capital O tilde | capital Oscar accent tilde | capital Oscar tilde | uppercase O accent tilde | uppercase O tilde | uppercase Oscar accent tilde | uppercase Oscar tilde
Ö | capital O accent umlaut | capital O dieresis | capital O umlaut | capital Oscar accent umlaut | capital Oscar dieresis | capital Oscar umlaut | uppercase O accent umlaut | uppercase O dieresis | uppercase O umlaut | uppercase Oscar accent umlaut | uppercase Oscar dieresis | uppercase Oscar umlaut
× | multiplication sign | multiplication symbol | multiply | multiply sign | multiply symbol | times | times sign | times symbol
Ø | capital O oblique stroke | capital O slash | capital Oscar oblique stroke | capital Oscar slash | uppercase O oblique stroke | uppercase O slash | uppercase Oscar oblique stroke | uppercase Oscar slash
Ù | capital U accent grave | capital U grave | capital Uniform accent grave | capital Uniform grave | uppercase U accent grave | uppercase U grave | uppercase Uniform accent grave | uppercase Uniform grave
Ú | capital U accent acute | capital U acute | capital Uniform accent acute | capital Uniform acute | uppercase U accent acute | uppercase U acute | uppercase Uniform accent acute | uppercase Uniform acute
Û | capital U accent circumflex | capital U circumflex | capital Uniform accent circumflex | capital Uniform circumflex | uppercase U accent circumflex | uppercase U circumflex | uppercase Uniform accent circumflex | uppercase Uniform circumflex
Ü | capital U accent umlaut | capital U dieresis | capital U umlaut | capital Uniform accent umlaut | capital Uniform dieresis | capital Uniform umlaut | uppercase U accent umlaut | uppercase U dieresis | uppercase U umlaut | uppercase Uniform accent umlaut | uppercase Uniform dieresis | uppercase Uniform umlaut
Ý | capital Y accent acute | capital Y acute | capital Yankee accent acute | capital Yankee acute | uppercase Y accent acute | uppercase Y acute | uppercase Yankee accent acute | uppercase Yankee acute
Þ | capital Icelandic thorn | capital thorn | uppercase Icelandic thorn | uppercase thorn
ß | German sharp S | German sharp Sierra | eszet | letter German sharp S | letter German sharp Sierra | letter eszet | letter sharp S | letter sharp Sierra | sharp S | sharp Sierra
à | A accent grave | A grave | Alfa accent grave | Alfa grave | letter A accent grave | letter A grave | letter Alfa accent grave | letter Alfa grave | lowercase A accent grave | lowercase A grave | lowercase Alfa accent grave | lowercase Alfa grave
á | A accent acute | A acute | Alfa accent acute | Alfa acute | letter A accent acute | letter A acute | letter Alfa accent acute | letter Alfa acute | lowercase A accent acute | lowercase A acute | lowercase Alfa accent acute | lowercase Alfa acute
â | A accent circumflex | A circumflex | Alfa accent circumflex | Alfa circumflex | letter A accent circumflex | letter A circumflex | letter Alfa accent circumflex | letter Alfa circumflex | lowercase A accent circumflex | lowercase A circumflex | lowercase Alfa accent circumflex | lowercase Alfa circumflex
ã | A accent tilde | A tilde | Alfa accent tilde | Alfa tilde | letter A accent tilde | letter A tilde | letter Alfa accent tilde | letter Alfa tilde | lowercase A accent tilde | lowercase A tilde | lowercase Alfa accent tilde | lowercase Alfa tilde
ä | A accent umlaut | A dieresis | A umlaut | Alfa accent umlaut | Alfa dieresis | Alfa umlaut | letter A accent umlaut | letter A dieresis | letter A umlaut | letter Alfa accent umlaut | letter Alfa dieresis | letter Alfa umlaut | lowercase A accent umlaut | lowercase A dieresis | lowercase A umlaut | lowercase Alfa accent umlaut | lowercase Alfa dieresis | lowercase Alfa umlaut
å | A ring | A ring above | Alfa ring | Alfa ring above | letter A ring | letter A ring above | letter Alfa ring | letter Alfa ring above | lowercase A ring | lowercase A ring above | lowercase Alfa ring | lowercase Alfa ring above
æ | AE diphthong | AE ligature | Alfa Echo diphthong | Alfa Echo ligature | letter AE diphthong | letter AE ligature | letter Alfa Echo diphthong | letter Alfa Echo ligature | lowercase AE diphthong | lowercase AE ligature | lowercase Alfa Echo diphthong | lowercase Alfa Echo ligature
ç | C accent cedilla | C cedilla | Charlie accent cedilla | Charlie cedilla | letter C accent cedilla | letter C cedilla | letter Charlie accent cedilla | letter Charlie cedilla | lowercase C accent cedilla | lowercase C cedilla | lowercase Charlie accent cedilla | lowercase Charlie cedilla
è | E accent grave | E grave | Echo accent grave | Echo grave | letter E accent grave | letter E grave | letter Echo accent grave | letter Echo grave | lowercase E accent grave | lowercase E grave | lowercase Echo accent grave | lowercase Echo grave
é | E accent acute | E acute | Echo accent acute | Echo acute | letter E accent acute | letter E acute | letter Echo accent acute | letter Echo acute | lowercase E accent acute | lowercase E acute | lowercase Echo accent acute | lowercase Echo acute
ê | E accent circumflex | E circumflex | Echo accent circumflex | Echo circumflex | letter E accent circumflex | letter E circumflex | letter Echo accent circumflex | letter Echo circumflex | lowercase E accent circumflex | lowercase E circumflex | lowercase Echo accent circumflex | lowercase Echo circumflex
ë | E accent umlaut | E dieresis | E umlaut | Echo accent umlaut | Echo dieresis | Echo umlaut | letter E accent umlaut | letter E dieresis | letter E umlaut | letter Echo accent umlaut | letter Echo dieresis | letter Echo umlaut | lowercase E accent umlaut | lowercase E dieresis | lowercase E umlaut | lowercase Echo accent umlaut | lowercase Echo dieresis | lowercase Echo umlaut
ì | I accent grave | I grave | India accent grave | India grave | letter I accent grave | letter I grave | letter India accent grave | letter India grave | lowercase I accent grave | lowercase I grave | lowercase India accent grave | lowercase India grave
í | I accent acute | I acute | India accent acute | India acute | letter I accent acute | letter I acute | letter India accent acute | letter India acute | lowercase I accent acute | lowercase I acute | lowercase India accent acute | lowercase India acute
î | I accent circumflex | I circumflex | India accent circumflex | India circumflex | letter I accent circumflex | letter I circumflex | letter India accent circumflex | letter India circumflex | lowercase I accent circumflex | lowercase I circumflex | lowercase India accent circumflex | lowercase India circumflex
ï | I accent umlaut | I dieresis | I umlaut | India accent umlaut | India dieresis | India umlaut | letter I accent umlaut | letter I dieresis | letter I umlaut | letter India accent umlaut | letter India dieresis | letter India umlaut | lowercase I accent umlaut | lowercase I dieresis | lowercase I umlaut | lowercase India accent umlaut | lowercase India dieresis | lowercase India umlaut
ð | Icelandic eth | eth | letter Icelandic eth | letter eth | lowercase Icelandic eth | lowercase eth
ñ | N accent tilde | N yay | November accent tilde | November tilde | letter N accent tilde | letter N tilde | letter N yay | letter November accent tilde | letter November tilde | lowercase N accent tilde | lowercase N tilde | lowercase N yay | lowercase November accent tilde | lowercase November tilde
ò | O accent grave | O grave | Oscar accent grave | Oscar grave | letter O accent grave | letter O grave | letter Oscar accent grave | letter Oscar grave | lowercase O accent grave | lowercase O grave | lowercase Oscar accent grave | lowercase Oscar grave
ó | O accent acute | O acute | Oscar accent acute | Oscar acute | letter O accent acute | letter O acute | letter Oscar accent acute | letter Oscar acute | lowercase O accent acute | lowercase O acute | lowercase Oscar accent acute | lowercase Oscar acute
ô | O accent circumflex | O circumflex | Oscar accent circumflex | Oscar circumflex | letter O accent circumflex | letter O circumflex | letter Oscar accent circumflex | letter Oscar circumflex | lowercase O accent circumflex | lowercase O circumflex | lowercase Oscar accent circumflex | lowercase Oscar circumflex
õ | O accent tilde | O tilde | Oscar accent tilde | Oscar tilde | letter O accent tilde | letter O tilde | letter Oscar accent tilde | letter Oscar tilde | lowercase O accent tilde | lowercase O tilde | lowercase Oscar accent tilde | lowercase Oscar tilde
ö | O accent umlaut | O dieresis | O umlaut | Oscar accent umlaut | Oscar dieresis | Oscar umlaut | letter O accent umlaut | letter O dieresis | letter O umlaut | letter Oscar accent umlaut | letter Oscar dieresis | letter Oscar umlaut | lowercase O accent umlaut | lowercase O dieresis | lowercase O umlaut | lowercase Oscar accent umlaut | lowercase Oscar dieresis | lowercase Oscar umlaut
÷ | divide | divide sign | divide symbol | division sign | division symbol
ø | O oblique stroke | O slash | Oscar oblique stroke | Oscar slash | letter O oblique stroke | letter O slash | letter Oscar oblique stroke | letter Oscar slash | lowercase O oblique stroke | lowercase O slash | lowercase Oscar oblique stroke | lowercase Oscar slash
ù | U accent grave | U grave | letter U accent grave | letter U grave | letter Uniform accent grave | letter Uniform grave | Uniform accent grave | Uniform grave | lowercase U accent grave | lowercase U grave | lowercase Uniform accent grave | lowercase Uniform grave
ú | U accent acute | U acute | letter U accent acute | letter U acute | letter Uniform accent acute | letter Uniform acute | Uniform accent acute | Uniform acute | lowercase U accent acute | lowercase U acute | lowercase Uniform accent acute | lowercase Uniform acute
û | U accent circumflex | U circumflex | letter U accent circumflex | letter U circumflex | letter Uniform accent circumflex | letter Uniform circumflex | Uniform accent circumflex | Uniform circumflex | lowercase U accent circumflex | lowercase U circumflex | lowercase Uniform accent circumflex | lowercase Uniform circumflex
ü | U accent umlaut | U dieresis | U umlaut | letter U accent umlaut | letter U dieresis | letter U umlaut | letter Uniform accent umlaut | letter Uniform dieresis | letter Uniform umlaut | Uniform accent umlaut | Uniform dieresis | Uniform umlaut | lowercase U accent umlaut | lowercase U dieresis | lowercase U umlaut | lowercase Uniform accent umlaut | lowercase Uniform dieresis | lowercase Uniform umlaut
ý | Y accent acute | Y acute | Yankee accent acute | Yankee acute | letter Y accent acute | letter Y acute | letter Yankee accent acute | letter Yankee acute | lowercase Y accent acute | lowercase Y acute | lowercase Yankee accent acute | lowercase Yankee acute
þ | Icelandic thorn | letter Icelandic thorn | letter thorn | thorn | lowercase Icelandic thorn | lowercase thorn
ÿ | Y accent umlaut | Y dieresis | Y umlaut | Yankee accent umlaut | Yankee dieresis | Yankee umlaut | letter Y accent umlaut | letter Y dieresis | letter Y umlaut | letter Yankee accent umlaut | letter Yankee dieresis | letter Yankee umlaut | lowercase Y accent umlaut | lowercase Y dieresis | lowercase Y umlaut | lowercase Yankee accent umlaut | lowercase Yankee dieresis | lowercase Yankee umlaut
Œ | capital OE diphthong | capital OE ligature | capital Oscar Echo diphthong | capital Oscar Echo ligature | uppercase OE diphthong | uppercase OE ligature | uppercase Oscar Echo diphthong | uppercase Oscar Echo ligature
œ | OE diphthong | OE ligature | letter OE diphthong | letter OE ligature | letter Oscar Echo diphthong | letter Oscar Echo ligature | Oscar Echo diphthong | Oscar Echo ligature | lowercase OE diphthong | lowercase OE ligature | lowercase Oscar Echo diphthong | lowercase Oscar Echo ligature
Š | capital S wedge | capital S with Caron | capital Sierra wedge | capital Sierra with Caron | uppercase S wedge | uppercase S with Caron | uppercase Sierra wedge | uppercase Sierra with Caron
š | S wedge | S with Caron | letter S wedge | letter S with Caron | letter Sierra wedge | letter Sierra with Caron | Sierra wedge | Sierra with Caron | lowercase S wedge | lowercase S with Caron | lowercase Sierra wedge | lowercase Sierra with Caron
Ÿ | capital Y accent umlaut | capital Y dieresis | capital Y umlaut | capital Yankee accent umlaut | capital Yankee dieresis | capital Yankee umlaut | uppercase Y accent umlaut | uppercase Y dieresis | uppercase Y umlaut | uppercase Yankee accent umlaut | uppercase Yankee dieresis | uppercase Yankee umlaut
Ž | capital Z with Caron | capital Zulu with Caron | uppercase Z with Caron | uppercase Zulu with Caron
ž | Z with Caron | Zulu with Caron | letter Z with Caron | letter Zulu with Caron | lowercase Z with Caron | lowercase Zulu with Caron
ƒ | guilder | guilder sign
– | N dash | dash | double dash
— | M dash
‚ | alternate comma
„ | double comma
† | dagger | single dagger | single dagger sign | single dagger symbol
‡ | double dagger | double dagger sign | double dagger symbol
… | dot dot dot | ellipsis
‰ | per mil | per mil sign | per mil symbol | per thousand | per thousand sign | per thousand symbol
€ | euro | euro sign
₹ | rupee sign
™ | trademark | trademark sign | trademark symbol