Do you know the phonetic alphabet?

Posted by konnekting@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 982 comments

I don’t know it as I’ve never seen the value in learning it, but whenever I talk to someone (usually on a phone call) and they use it, it seems like I’m an odd one out for not knowing it. Is it really common knowledge or is it predominantly just call centre operators (or other people that answer a lot of phone calls) that know it?

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982 Comments

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AlexisJordanGFlame@reddit

I do, but I was an air cadet, so that might have a lot to do with it.

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crucible@reddit

I was in Army Cadets, so it’s the same for me. Was also trained how to use radios, so I’m about the only person in my workplace who a) knows the difference between “over” and “out and b) actually uses them!

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tactcom7@reddit

If I had a pound for everyone I've screamed at the TV when someone says 'over and out' I'd probably have around 20 pounds.

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crucible@reddit

Ha! Yeah, I've stopped letting that wind me up

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KC-2416@reddit

Don't come and work for the coastguard! You can tell who hasn't got a VHF licence!

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Arrakis_Is_Here@reddit

This is also my pet peeve

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Hodgey246369@reddit

I dont think it's common knowledge as I only learned it from call centre training. It's most used on phone calls as a lot of letters for example 'B' 'D' 'P' can sound the same. So the idea was to create words starting with that letter that couldn't or shouldn't sound like any other letter

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cuppablister@reddit

It's super important in case you ever have to ring 999 so it's highly beneficial to know it or have it to hand just in case!

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Cyclingnightmare@reddit

I had someone say X for xylophone to me the other day on a 999 call - not the time to be testing a dyslexics spelling capabilities

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KC-2416@reddit

Part of my job involves answering 999 calls. Part of the medical standards says that you can't do the job if you're dyslexic. There's no specific test to pass but we do have to do reading to test our eye site. And we also have a couple of written entrance exams that I guess dyslexics would struggle with.

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Cyclingnightmare@reddit

Ah that’s interesting, we have lots of dyslexics in our branch but have heard there was someone with severe dyslexic who did struggle.

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KC-2416@reddit

Hhmm. Do you have to pass a medical? I'm with the coastguard and we have to pass a medical to do the job. It does say that dyslexia is a fail but they don't specifically test it. I guess if you were severely dyslexic then it would mean you end up failing the reading or another entrance exam.

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Cyclingnightmare@reddit

Only medical was eyesight and hearing test (for police) and didn’t have a reading/entrance exam as such, although did have to type a mock log up for a mock call

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KC-2416@reddit

We had to provide a urine sample and they tested for diabetes. They measured our BMI and blood pressure. We had to pass a colour blind test. They tested long distance vision with a chart on the wall. We were also given an A4 piece of paper with paragraphs written in different font sizes and we were asked to read the smallest that we could. We also had a hearing test. Entrance exams included typing up a call and also a maths based exam.

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Cyclingnightmare@reddit

Just a little more in depth than the police call handling requirements then /s

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KC-2416@reddit

I dunno about you but things like epilepsy or anything where you might have a fit of any sort is also a fail. I dunno if part of it is that we also monitor VHF channel 16. And only one person at a time is logged onto that. We cover a lot of sea area each, listening out for Maydays. The colour blind test makes sense. On our screens for VHF aerials, different colours mean different things. And different coloured lights on ships and buoys mean different things.

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OzurieXV@reddit

I'm one of those people honestly, X always gets me. There are 2 words that begin with X, one is Xylophone, the other is the correct answer and I'll never remember that other word so I'll either just continue with Xylophone or I'll shout 'X' slowly so it can't be mistaken for anything else.

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Past-Educator-6561@reddit

Fr not me trying to think of another X word and not bei g able to lmao. Does Xray count?

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turkishhousefan@reddit

"X-ray" is used for x in the phonetic alphabet.

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Past-Educator-6561@reddit

Nice, thank god cause I'm all out of X words now 🤣

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Past-Educator-6561@reddit

Tbf X doesn't sound like any of the other letters anyway

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konnekting@reddit (OP)

Is saying W for Whiskey that much more effective than Window, Whale, Water, Watch etc though?

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Fluffy_Juggernaut_@reddit

The idea is that none of the words in the NATO alphabet sound like each other so it's impossible to mix them up. If you make it up on the spot you're more likely to say something like "c for clone, z for zone, b for bone" and that can lead to mistakes. No one can misunderstand " Charlie, Zulu, Bravo"

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Randomn355@reddit

Clone zone bone has very different connotations if you're from Manchester...

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Jimathay@reddit

Most of the time that's fine. But the phonetic alphabet has been designed around no ambiguity. On a bad phone line - "whu for whale" could sound like "muh for male". Or "Ess for socks" could be taken as as "Eff for Fox". I genuinely don't mumble - but at a couple of recent food orders for example, I've asked for Burger and Fries over the mcdonalds drive through and been given Burger and Sprite. Or just this weekend, in person at a stall, asked for a Hot Dog, and been told "sorry, we don't serve Hot Pot".

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Draenogg@reddit

I used to work in sales and we had a whole complaints saga over the fact a customer was convinced it was "F for Fierra" and not "S for Sierra". Like, sir, Fierra isn't even a word...

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ShirtedRhino2@reddit

M for Mancy

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MrDemotivator17@reddit

God ray, you of all people!

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terryjuicelawson@reddit

The funny thing is if you try to wing it you can get a mental block or come out with odd things. I worked in a call centre and just come out with the standard phonetic alphabet without thinking.

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Tradtrade@reddit

Yes. Regional accents, stress, background noise etc. I’m now listening for the key sounds in the word whiskey rather than guessing at what the fuck you’re saying. Basically I’m going with script and your potentially ad libing in a life or death situation. They are (all?) 2 syllables with clear consonant sounds. Water is worse than whiskey because lots of people say wayder/waw-tah/wah-tur/wadda/wad-durr.

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TheStarIsPorn@reddit

Golf, Indigo, Juliet, Mike, November, Sierra, Uniform. The point is more the standardisation, if you hear "-iform", you know it's U and not, like Choloroform.

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leo_chaos@reddit

In a rush you'll never remember a sensible word, more likely to say W for willy/wanker.

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Arrakis_Is_Here@reddit

I worked with a guy who once said "wanky" instead of "yankee" over the radio. Got a few laughs

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cuppablister@reddit

I guess in the situation as long as you can get a word out like you mentioned it's better than nothing but Whiskey is just the recognised phonetic term that in a high stress situation you'd just associate with W rather than if someone said Whale which could throw the operator off. I do see your point but I still think people should know it as it does come in handy a lot more than people probably think.

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Klutzy_Cake5515@reddit

As long as you don't take the piss with things like P for Psychology or M for Mancy, you're fine.

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Sc4rl3ttD@reddit

Yes - but I’m a pilot so I kinda need to know it.

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ItsIllak@reddit

What are you guys worried about nine being mistaken for? Never understood that one.

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Sc4rl3ttD@reddit

Nine is known as niner for that very reason. Nine and five for example sound very similar on radio.

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ItsIllak@reddit

Five? I wouldn't have guessed it was the culprit!

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Adrian_Shoey@reddit

What took longer to learn, the phonetic alphabet or that special soothing pilot voice?

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ExcitementKooky418@reddit

This is your captain speaking, please could all passengers return their seats to the upright position and ensure your seatbelts are on as we are about to Charlie Romeo Alpha Sierra Hotel

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Dont_believe_me__@reddit

Youre not a real pilot! Not enough "uuuum' or '........." in between words

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ExcitementKooky418@reddit

Damn, rumbled

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steveysaidthis@reddit

Uniform Hotel Oscar Hotel.

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liquid_profane@reddit

Foxtrot Uniform Uniform Uniform Uniform Uniform Uniform Uniform

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Feisty-Puffin@reddit

I just read that as "Foxtrot Uniform Uniform Unicorn Unicorn Unicorn"

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liquid_profane@reddit

And now I wished I had put that instead!

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The_not-so_chosen_1@reddit

Charlie Kilo

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Available_Remove452@reddit

Foxtrot oscar

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MACintoshBETH@reddit

I’m about to foxtrot Oscar

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AshalaWolf_27@reddit

Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo

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vms-crot@reddit

Foxtrot Oscar

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ExcitementKooky418@reddit

Put the you know what, in the you know where

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aahscary@reddit

I don't want to beat around the bush!

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Ghostenx@reddit

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

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MrDankky@reddit

Probably not good that I was just scrolling and a kilo of charlie stood out to me in your comment

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andre2020@reddit

Made me spit ma coffee. !!!!!

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DoNotDmPls@reddit

Phonetic alphabet literally takes like 10 mins to learn then you got it memorised

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Smeeble09@reddit

That's part of the filtering process, don't have the voice down then you don't even get on the course.

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boofing_evangelist@reddit

You do get on the course, but are made to smoke Marlborough Reds until a husky soothing voice develops.

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Unai_Emeryiates@reddit

Do you smoke, Paul?

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Ned-Nedley@reddit

Uh, no. No I don’t.

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Martipar@reddit

https://youtu.be/YPkKEttKIQU?si=bb1tHmYxUvvZMPin

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jonewer@reddit

I was hoping someone would post this

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aaeme@reddit

Don't pilots have a different phonetic alphabet? Or is that just RAF or I'm completely wrong?

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Sc4rl3ttD@reddit

Nope, everyone uses the same. There might be a slight difference in military terms, but the baseline is the same.

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aaeme@reddit

Yeah. Googling it, I expect I got that impression from WWII stuff (Dog, Easy, Fox, etc.). Prior to the 1955 NATO standard. Tsetse, Yttrium, Voila, Mansey.

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Nuker-79@reddit

Wasn’t that American company names in the army?

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elchet@reddit

America used Able, Baker, Charlie etc. The British used Ace, Beer, Charlie for the first chunk of ww2.

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grey-zone@reddit

Nail meet head. This is exactly it. There used to be lots of different versions but, at least as far as the west is concerned, there is now only one version. And English is the international language of aviation, so suck it everyone else!

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CountZodiac@reddit

Some U.S police departments still use their own, I do believe it is to separate themselves from the military (A = Adam etc.).

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SBolger234@reddit

You should do an AMA. I have so many questions for you!

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Vardy@reddit

I wanna know what those bong sounds they do all the time mean throughout the flight.

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Appropriate-South314@reddit

There are quite a lot to go through, and it varies between operator and aircraft manufacturer but I’ll describe some of the most common. When you are entering the runway you may hear a bong (or double bong). This is the pilot turning the seatbelt sign off and the back on very quickly to let the crew know you’re about to take off. When the pilot retracts the gear you may here a bong (I know airbus do, can’t speak for other aircraft). Seatbelt sign off. Passenger who has pressed the button to alert cabin crew

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elchet@reddit

Cabin crew being paged to come to the handset by crew at another station is another bong.

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Particular-Army-7180@reddit

A lot of them are signals to the cabin crew for various things. There's little lights above the cabin door that you can see that mean various instructions from the flight deck to the crew

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NebulouslyKeen@reddit

It’s usually some passenger pressing call attendant sign.

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greatdane114@reddit

I work on a large Industrial site and I have to communicate via radio often. I also know the phonetic alphabet. A while back, I had dreams of getting my PPL and during one lesson I had to communicate with ATC prior to take off. I completely forgot the phonetic alphabet and tail number, I eventually got it out but it was pretty awkward.

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Tachanka-Mayne@reddit

Q- How do you tell if someone’s a pilot? A- Don’t worry, they will let you know (Love seeing this joke occur in the wild)

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StrongDorothy@reddit

Guilty

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AstonishingBalls@reddit

So they should, being a pilot is fucking cool.

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Tachanka-Mayne@reddit

100% in agreement

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Sc4rl3ttD@reddit

Old but gold as they say.

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Charming_Pirate@reddit

P for…Pilot

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bgd_@reddit

Do you get brain fart moments where you completely forget it though?

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Natural_Garbage7674@reddit

The best is when people mess up by accident. There are a lot of Goat, Julia and Unicorn calls. And occasionally a Whiskey and a Yankee gets combined to a Wankee

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Sc4rl3ttD@reddit

No more than any other day to day things that experience brain farts. I’ve never used a supplementary word for one, but I have perhaps had delays getting to the actual word.

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EyeofAv8@reddit

Only curious, but I peeped at your post history to see if anything aviation related, how did you get on with your medical given posts about BPD and medication? I had mine temporarily suspended for having an MRI after banging my head lol..

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Sc4rl3ttD@reddit

I don’t tend to post about it, I kinda slipped up commenting on here tbh. It’s an approved medication luckily, but it’s a lot of jumping through hoops etc, also I didn’t specify whether I’m current etc.

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Tranz_Warryer@reddit

Pretty much, but might hesitate on a few letters. I never use it in real life.

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Agreeable-Rain-4281@reddit

I’ve never bothered. Seems entirely pointless. I just use names. “H for Harry”, “T for Tom” etc. It gets the same result

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CompactDesk@reddit

Yes, had to learn it for my radio operator license. But every now and then I like to throw Pterodactyl or Gnat in there.

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Throwmeaway20somting@reddit

No but I pride myself on being able to find words that begin with letters. It's an adventure every time! 'Okay so L for... Lemon! and O for Ostrich...' 'Lima, Oscar...' 'Oh and for Orange!'

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CaptainPogwash@reddit

I think it’s just one of those things you pick up. I never new it before I had to start dealing with cars and after many calls you just kinda learn it and can’t help but use it

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katmndoo@reddit

Mostly call center people, ex-military, and ex-call-center people.

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MadJen1979@reddit

X for xylophone 😁😁

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brynnafidska@reddit

Child of a police officer meant that this was mandated mastery while I was still in single digits.

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Walkingispainful@reddit

Alpha bravo Charlie delta echo

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paceyhitman@reddit

No, I usually make it up as I go along: "N for Norman, O for... er... object, B for... biscuit" Usually works.

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Valuable-Half-5137@reddit

My favourite was when I was on the phone to the Audi garage - I couldn’t think of a single word starting with V so I panicked and said “Volkswagen”

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ExcitementKooky418@reddit

B for Bentley, C for Citroen, D for Dacia

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PdoubleEB@reddit

A for Alfa Audi Alpine Acura Ariel Aston Martin B for Bentley BMW Buick Bugatti C for Citroen Cadillac Chevrolet Chrysler Caterham Cupra D for Dacia Dodge Daimler Delorean Daihatsu. D.S E for Elva and Elfin and the only two that come to mind. Less Brands more Models for E I think. Lotus had a whole run. Elise Exige Elan Esprit Escort Espada Elantra Element El Camino Eldarado Enzo Eos eQS and a whole range of 'e'name vehicles e-tron. F for Ford Fiat Ferrari G for Genesis Ginetta GMC H for Honda Hyundai I for Ineos Isuzu Infiniti Iveco J for Jaguar Jeep K for Koenigsegg Kia KTM L for Lada Lamborghini Land rover Lancia Lexus Lotus M for Mazda McLaren Mitsubishi Mazda MG Mini Mercedes Morgan Maybach N for Nissan Noble O for Opel Ora P for Pagani Peugeot Proton Polestar Q for Qoros.. I googled for that. (Was trying to stick to things I'd heard of) R for Renault Reliant Range Rover Rolls Royce Radical RUF S for Skoda Seat Saleen Shelby Suzuki Subaru T for Toyota Triumph TVR Tesla U for Ultima V for Volkswagen Vauxhall Volvo W for Westfield X for Xpeng Y for Yudo and Yulon. (Thank China for those ones.. I've no idea) And finally. Z for Zenvo This got hard at the end 😂 The phonetic alphabet, for car nerds.

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I_choose_your_face@reddit

A for Alpha, oh wait! That is one!

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Mackem101@reddit

S for Sierra used to be one.

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Doddsy2978@reddit

Still is!

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HG_Cloud@reddit

Bravo 👏

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Doddsy2978@reddit

Now, stop being a Charlie!

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jezmck@reddit

It's officially Alfa.

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Mister_Cornetto@reddit

Alpha Romeo, it's a double!

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OldChorleian@reddit

Same company these days - Volkswagen Audi Group.

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zapering@reddit

My old manager (who was an idiot), was spelling something out for a client on the phone. Bear in mind this is a British white guy. He goes: M for .... Mohammed O for.... ...... OHAMMED.

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iammous3@reddit

Reminds me of when my mom very calmly told the car rental lady "e for apple" over the phone, and the lady very confusedly said, "I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" My mom again calmly repeats "e for apple" and then "oh, wait, no, e for elephant! Oh my gosh!" And the lady says, "I was beginning to think e really was for apple!" We all had a good laugh.

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BobbyPotter@reddit

My colleague once panicked and said "P for... pea". I only know she meant the vegetable because I asked her once I had finished laughing

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LaceAndLavatera@reddit

Worked customer service for years, V is always the one that trips people up - though the first word out of most people's mouths isn't usually Volkswagen...

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Valuable-Half-5137@reddit

I gasped oh my god I’m so glad I didn’t do that

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TheIncontrovert@reddit

I was reporting a drive off to a female police officer. I would have killed for volkswagen but unfortunately that word and every other word in the English language that began with V fled my mind and I ended up shouting Vulva down the phone like I was Archimedes discovering water displacement. Thankfully she saw the funny side and we had a good laugh about it.

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YlvaTheWolf@reddit

At least they're owned by the same people and you didn't just say "B for BMW" or something

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discombobulatededed@reddit

My favourite one was on the phone to a customer once and they said Q for Cucumber lmao, we were both pissing ourselves laugjing

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ZombieDiscoSquad@reddit

They are owned by Volkswagen Audi group so probably not the biggest faux pas, if you'd been on a call with BMW or Mercedes then heaven help you! 😄

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Nuker-79@reddit

A for Alfa Romeo

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Down_With_The_STDs@reddit

D for Das auto.

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Dazpiece@reddit

A customer on the phone to me once came out with 'Q for cucumber'

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thelajestic@reddit

I had one say "U for Europe" once 🤣

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rikzy75@reddit

r/yurop

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TheKynosaur@reddit

E for Eye Y for you S for sea

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tobotic@reddit

"Q for cucumber." "But cucumber starts with C." "No, not a sea cucumber. A regular cucumber."

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Minute-Vast7967@reddit

I did this on a phone call and ended up saying "G for Gnome". Possibly the most useless word to use beginning with G XD

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D-J97@reddit

P for pterodactyl, k for Knight, m for mnemonic... someone did a kids book full of these

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Legitimate_Corgi_981@reddit

N for "nife" is surprisingly common sadly.

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lalagromedontknow@reddit

I said P for photograph. That memory lives in my brain rent free.

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dottipants16@reddit

I work on the phones and always love when people make up their own versions (I quote often do the same around Christmas time R for reindeer etc) The people that really annoy me is where you say "is that T for tango" and they say yes. And then later in the call it comes to light that ota actually C not T and they say "oh I didn't know what you meant" THEN SAY THAT!! don't just say yes for the sake of it! And in some places that may not matter but I take 998 calls. Its usually pretty imperative to get things like postcodes right!

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tyger2020@reddit

>I work on the phones and always love when people make up their own versions (I quote often do the same around Christmas time R for reindeer etc) I can only speak for my self but its massively depends on what your friends/family use too. My mum has alWAYS said S for sugar, and now in my head that is just default.

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papayametallica@reddit

0998 I don’t know anyone in Uzbekistan

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UKZzHELLRAISER@reddit

This. This one pisses me off without fail.

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MrDemotivator17@reddit

> 998 calls Is that for more urgent than 111 but not quite 999?

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rtfm-nor@reddit

Little known fact that. 111-999 are all in use, and you should grade your calls by level of emergency. Hypochondricac friend coughed once but insist they're dying - 111. Head chopped off and rolling on the floor - 999. Broken arm... Probably dial 200-300. Hole in jeans? 501.

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dottipants16@reddit

It's actually just the more exclusive number for those in the know. My bad, can I blame being tired from work? Lol

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Ok_Cow_3431@reddit

> "N for Norman, O for... er... object, B for... biscuit" If you're actually using the phonetic you don't need the "X for" part, so if I had to call out what you just did I'd say "November Oscar Bravo"

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Used-Appearance-9272@reddit

Burn

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Ok_Cow_3431@reddit

Hey Kilo, that was no where near a burn

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Used-Appearance-9272@reddit

Sorry yes you're right. I didn't read it right and thought you were calling op a nob.

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Ok_Cow_3431@reddit

my how the turn tables

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Past-Educator-6561@reddit

It's more fun that way I find!

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helpnxt@reddit

M for... Mancy...

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Used-Appearance-9272@reddit

Love it

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GrimQuim@reddit

G for gnome, P for pterodactyl, K for know, P for psyco, W for write

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DoorSubstantial2104@reddit

My mum bought my kids a book called “P for Pterodactyl, the worst alphabet book ever”. I think it has all of these

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JohnnySchoolman@reddit

A for Aitch. P for Pterodactyl. K for Knight.

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tomelwoody@reddit

You know you can just say the words and not say N for Norman, O for Object. Just say Norman Object.

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Bexcellent500@reddit

It’s one of the joys of call centre jobs…I regret not noting down the great variations customers come up with!

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MrP1232007@reddit

We had GE in our work postcode. Could never remember it until I overheard my colleague phonetically giving it as G for Ginger, E for Elephant one day. I burst out laughing, as did he and the person he was on the phone to. Never forget that postcode again.

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wurkyticket@reddit

You laugh but that's how I remember postcodes... I have a collection of people to collect prescriptions for... all live in the same area so the first couple of letters, then the number followed by either 3 purple umbrellas, 2 pink yeti's or 4 angry nuns!

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jcsparkyson@reddit

M for Mancy

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samsaBEAR@reddit

I love it when you use the wrong word and the operator kinda laughs, but quietly so it doesn't look like they're laughing at you.

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Substantial-Jump-349@reddit

Too many bloody years of working in car insurance, I don't even drive.

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JoeR942@reddit

I know it from being on phone calls my whole life (I’m only 30 lol). Like you, on a call it’s what they use and I just “picked it up.” I don’t think I know EVERY letter but I can work my way through.

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skwadyboy@reddit

Yes..but i was in the army for 12 years so i guess i should, but im pretty sure i knew it before that though.

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Seldom-Posts-836@reddit

Yes although I constantly call P Peru instead of Piano. I blame the influence of Lima.

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FrankyFistalot@reddit

I use most of it but cant help using S for sausage and B for Bertie…haha

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DorisDooDahDay@reddit

Lol - I can't help using food names! Like you - s for sausage but also n for noodles and b banana. I feel like I'm advertising how greedy I am, I do love my food!

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FrankyFistalot@reddit

I dont know anyone called Bertie apart from Bertie Bassett from when i was a kid,maybe it’s a wine gums flashback lol…

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daftsquirrel@reddit

It's Bravo, not Bertie lol

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ArtificialPigeon@reddit

Bravo 👏

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FrankyFistalot@reddit

I know…i just say Bertie for some reason lol…

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lodav22@reddit

I have to order car parts on a daily basis and I have a running joke with one of my regular motor factor guys that we use the most random words instead of the normal phonetic alphabet. Like Chilli Porcupine 66 etc but the other day he came back with “is that D for Doggy style?” In the straightest voice ever and I nearly lost it 😆.

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helielicopter01@reddit

B for Bertie! Yep, me too!

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HargoJ@reddit

SAUSAGE! Blast your eyes

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harrymoodles@reddit

Pericombobulation!

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KittyGrewAMoustache@reddit

Unicorn for U

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FrankyFistalot@reddit

Thank you…always wanted one…

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tobotic@reddit

"Q for cucumber." "But cucumber starts with C." "No, not a sea cucumber. A regular cucumber."

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liquid_profane@reddit

That's just brilliant!

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gallifreyfalls55@reddit

Outstanding work. Love it

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Welshbuilder67@reddit

S sausage, B banger and M mash

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ThrowingStuffAway190@reddit

Sierra is a strange choice for s. Once said "sierra" when spelling out something over the phone and when they read it back they had taken sierra to be a c.

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broadarrow39@reddit

Lima syndrome

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ExcitementKooky418@reddit

Lima balls! No, wait...

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ViKtorMeldrew@reddit

K - for Knee N - for nee  Rab C Nesbitt

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-Ephyx-@reddit

M - for Mancy Archer

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Paddragonian@reddit

T - for Tea My ex

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fi-ri-ku-su@reddit

E for Eye

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ben_jamin_h@reddit

A for aye

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Juuhimuuhi@reddit

>Lima In finnish 'lima' means 'slime'

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spiralspirits@reddit

Dalai Lima

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TorakMcLaren@reddit

Lima disease

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YchYFi@reddit

Foxtrot uniform Charlie kilo. Bloodhound gang taught me.

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oatcakedick@reddit

Cattle prod the oyster ditch ….. with the lap rocket Lyrical genius (chefs kiss)

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vvvvaaaagggguuuueeee@reddit

Marinade the whoopee rod... in the squish mitten...

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Alexander-Wright@reddit

I sometimes suggest that annoying people Foxtrot Oscar.

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GSXS_750@reddit

Sugar Honey Ice Tea, Madagascar taught me

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spiralspirits@reddit

>I constantly call P Peru instead of Papa You could have just said Philippines, Paraguay or Palestine. LOL

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Recent_Strawberry456@reddit

A for horse B for ham C for miles D for dumb.....

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Yeorge@reddit

It’s P for pterodactyl

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Specialist-Web7854@reddit

Similarly I keep calling Oscar October, I blame November for being right before it.

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Negative_Equity@reddit

P for pneumonia

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JanisIansChestHair@reddit

I was taking a phone call the other day and the lady said “P for papa” and I nearly said back “it’s a pawpaws party” 🫣

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light_breezy@reddit

Ui.k N. Be

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Rub-it@reddit

I just use any word that begins with the letter Imao

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copperstallion69@reddit

Yes. But Sugar is better word for s than sierra. Same with Peru and uniform. These 3 letters should be the parting between American phonetic alphabet and British.

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cadiastandsuk@reddit

Could be worse. Could be ligma

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bgd_@reddit

Go on then. Ligma?

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cadiastandsuk@reddit

Ligma balls. Ha got em.... I feel wrong

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adrenaline87@reddit

Don't you mean P for Pseudonym

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Raiob@reddit

P for Pterodactyl

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adrenaline87@reddit

T for Tsar

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AlternativeSea8247@reddit

Yes, but I'm not 100% sure why....?

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Douglesfield_@reddit

Yeah, I'm stealing that one.

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pcald@reddit

Used to work in a call centre for car insurance. Couldn’t forget it if I tried to

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marshallandy83@reddit

I've never really thought about it but turns out I must've learnt it via osmosis over the years. I just ran through the alphabet and verified it with Wikipedia. I got every one right except Mike (I guessed at Mother). Of course we're talking about the NATO phonetic alphabet here. I'd love to learn the international phonetic alphabet, which basically standardises pronunciation.

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tiki_riot@reddit

My colleague knows it & uses it over the phone all the time, I can’t remember any of it & get confused when someone uses it over the phone to me 😂

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Mysterious_Soft7916@reddit

The phonetic alphabet is just a general guide. Sometimes you have to keep it interesting. Throw the occasional curve ball.

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EmbraJeff@reddit

Years of listening in to the polis radio as a kid then on to the entire series of The Bill. It’ll stay with me long after the anecdotage of my life kicks-in.

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iEuphemia@reddit

I'm starting to learn it at work. I have to spell things out over the phone sometimes, so it's just easier to do it phonetically.

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Dont_believe_me__@reddit

P for pneumatic, right?

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CookieDoughFeatures@reddit

Yes, I worked in aviation and you do really need to know it, however, I actually had to learn it through my job in retail....no idea why

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TimeNew2108@reddit

Only because I have to for work. Used to be on the phone saying c for cat e for elephant.

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Blueknightuk77@reddit

From People Like Us. My name is Roy...... "R" for roy. "O" for aubergine "Y" for you Always cracks me up.

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Fantastic-Spare-515@reddit

I know it. Not all call centre workers do though. I once trained someone and when they took their first phone call I heard them spelling something out using only fruits. She was fine until she needed a word for Q, then she panicked because she couldn’t think of a fruit and rather than using another word she put them on hold and frantically started asking people for a fruit beginning with Q. The next phone call she made she switched to countries instead. Wouldn’t have minded but I had already written the phonetic alphabet out for her and taped it to her desk before she started!

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ConstantNaive7649@reddit

I remember a picture-book or mobile I had a a child with an animal whose name started with each letter - except "x as in fox", which is now the only one I definitely remember the specific animal for.

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Anxious_Tomorrow7770@reddit

I didn’t think there was an official one. Isnt it just whatever pictures are used to teach children?

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JimmyJonJackson420@reddit

I used the watch The Bill religiously learnt it from there, and they say TV teaches you nothing

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Wessex-90@reddit

I learnt it while I was training for a career in the maritime industry-it takes me a moment, then I still remember.

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Cairo_Raiser545@reddit

I don’t know all of it, but after hearing my family members spell our surname in phonetic, I learnt the important ones. (And by that I mean F for Freddie and S for Sugar and N for November)

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hypertyper85@reddit

I do, but only cus of work and talking on the phone with people and wanting to take down their details correctly. Had someone spell something else once, and they said 'Penis' for 'P' :|

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hambo_81@reddit

I learned it about 25 years ago working in a call centre. Heard some horrific attempts at it. Y for wanky being one of them. One l like to use to throw people is Q for cucumber.

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GothLockedInSvrRoom@reddit

Yes - I was a Royal Marine cadet and learnt it there, some 14 years later I still use it all the time in my IT career.

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Beanruz@reddit

Generally know the ones people get wrong/ I must pronounce diff to their accent F sounds like S s sounds like F G sounds like D D sounds like G For example

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paulydee76@reddit

Yeah I used to watch the Bill. I feel like a pretentious idiot when I use it but it actually is quite useful.

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Secure_Insurance_351@reddit

Yankee echo sierra

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chonkyclouds@reddit

I have a call centre job so yeah, I know it. I don't expect people who phone me to know it, but sometimes they make their own and some of the stuff they come out with is funny. One guy was like "M for mongoloid." Why he chose mongoloid of all words, I'll never know. 😂 O for orange is a common one too, in the phonetic alphabet it's oscar but orange works just as well.

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YGhostRider666@reddit

Yep know it off by heart

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MaxPowerWTF@reddit

Whisky-Tango-Foxtrot! Of course! Why wouldn't you?

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Elielmau@reddit

I thought I did but no, it was mostly made up by me.

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ww82@reddit

G for gnome.

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FrenchNotHench@reddit

I thought it was G for Gonorrhea

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pig_on_an_oil_rig@reddit

P for pterodactyl

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just_some_other_guys@reddit

C for Czar

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CheeezBlue@reddit

I’ve completely forgotten what G was I’m thinking giraffe

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chalkhomunculus@reddit

that one game where you whack balls into a hole with a stick

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AstonishingBalls@reddit

Gsnooker?

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Adam_24061@reddit

P for pneumatic

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Stevotonin@reddit

X for xylophone

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plumperlumper@reddit

P is obviously Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis

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sincorax@reddit

Q for queue

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annaqlz@reddit

W for who.

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wobbuffettt@reddit

K for knife

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Jorden99@reddit

K for Knife

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fiveandcounting@reddit

J for Jalapeno

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Ballrootus_Maximus@reddit

S for sea, E for eye

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kittyl48@reddit

T for Tsunami

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Tommy_Furys_Sandwich@reddit

P for Psalm

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4500x@reddit

P for phonetic

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konnekting@reddit (OP)

C for Cantfixstupid.

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tealeafxo@reddit

Yes as I am property solicitor with a northern accent. Constantly saying postcodes to lenders on the phone or ringing other solicitors and giving property addresses.

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Slyfoxuk@reddit

learned it in cadets and its come in handy ever since, definitely recommend it

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Magnus_40@reddit

I do but then I am a radio amateur and it was required for the licence.

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James-Worthington@reddit

I know it. It was part of my training in a call centre years ago. It's genuinely very useful, especially when communicating a complicated spelling over a poor line. Substituting words from the non-phonetic alphabet isn't helpful as it is still open to misinterpretation.

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shinchunje@reddit

That’s not what the phonetic alphabet is.

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Kitchen-Pangolin-973@reddit

M as in Mancy

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ninja-wharrier@reddit

19 years in military communications. Oh yes, it is burnt into my psyche.

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MACintoshBETH@reddit

Indigo delta Oscar

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MoorExplorer@reddit

I teach ESL so occasionally use it in the classroom, but I learned it working in a call centre in my teens. But often, you’d hear people making up their own phonetic alphabet for their postcode. E.g SY23 1HB - S for Sugar, Y for Yo-yo, 23, then space, 1, H for Honey-badger, B for Badger-badger The latter part is real. Also S for Sugar and F for Freddie are common ones I heard.

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PMMEANUMBER1-10@reddit

If you learn the first five or six, you can pretend to know it by rattling them kff and saying etc. This is not helpful in any way though

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No_Imagination_sorry@reddit

Sierra can go fuck itself. Catches me out every time.

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Dalostbear@reddit

This is job for Inky the Mouse from Jolly phonics

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lollipop_wonder@reddit

I just picked it up through repeat listening. And the call centre people love it when i use it lol

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adreddit298@reddit

Yes. Learned it in primary school, here we are 30+ years later. Helpful when I'm on the phone though, I suppose.

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nocnox87@reddit

I have a car registration & postcode with "B" & 'J" in them....

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Cheffysteve@reddit

Yes , and the pro words to use in the correct manner when using a VHF radio

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mykeuk@reddit

Yeah, I know it but still occasionally struggle on a couple of the letters. Had to take a lot of orders over the phone in my last job and it helped when customers decided to call in the middle of the ocean with feck all phone signal.

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McFuckin94@reddit

Yes I learned them. Makes everything easier on a call. I have a surname that isn’t easy to spell from the way it sounds.

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Rich6-0-6@reddit

I work in the motor trade and spend my entire day giving and receiving registration numbers, part numbers and post codes over the phone, so yes. Some people cannot understand how difficult it is to distinguish B and V, S and F, N and M over the phone. Even if you don't know the NATO phonetic alphabet, just think of a word that starts with that letter. But do NOT think of M for Motel, O for 'Otel, K for Knight or N for Night or I will get very pissy with you

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AffectionateCoffee27@reddit

I worked in customer service so you tend to pick it up especially call centers

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Rinsetheplates_first@reddit

I work in a hotel and a guest (who’d just arrived) ran over to me with his phone to his ear, frantically asking ‘what’s the postcode, what’s the postcode’ I gave it to him and he repeated it three or four times.. ‘B D no B D… as in big dick’

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Z0nited@reddit

Apple, banana, cauliflower, dynamite, Elon Musk

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nuttysaint@reddit

I'm ex security so I needed to know it though I learnt it years before as it interested me when I was a kid for some strange reason

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Mark_M84@reddit

Yes. I've known it since I was about 11 years old, give or take a year.

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purplehorserocks@reddit

Yes. But I'm not sure why. I like knowing stuff? I actively tried to learn it for some reason but I don't think thats particularly normal unless you work/have a hobby where its needed.

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dragondrop@reddit

Related (one of my fave podcasts) Stuff you should know did a short stuff thing on the nato alphabet and its history… interesting stuff! https://www.google.com/gasearch?q=sysk%20phonetic%20alphabet&tbm=&source=sh/x/gs/m2/5

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zapering@reddit

Yes I do and have a ridiculous story about it . My old manager (who was an idiot), was spelling something out for a client on the phone. Bear in mind this is a British white guy, essentially gammon in the making as well. He goes: M for .... Mohammed O for.... ...... OHAMMED.

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depiff@reddit

I tell myself I know it, but in actuality I think a few would stump me. When I worked in a call centre (even though my role was more or less non-telephony), I knew it though. These days I just use it when I need to spell something unusual, like my email address. It's a mixture of my username and my real name. Oddly enough everyone mishears Papa as something different every time...or maybe they don't know Papa is P so think I said something else. ...Maybe I should start using "P for Psychology"

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Preacherjonson@reddit

Yes. It's very handy to me in and outside of work. Most specifically for phone based communications, and especially with non-native speakers on the other end.

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dick_schidt@reddit

L for elbow?

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Ok_Working_9219@reddit

Yes. Learnt it years ago. The same as 24 hour clock.

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PassiveTheme@reddit

Yes. I used to have a game on the Xbox (Tom Clancy's Endwar) where you controlled your units through voice commands, saying things like "Unit 2, attack Foxtrot". That's not the only reason I know it, but it certainly gave me a reason to learn it as a teenager. There's some that I will have to think about, but I can generally pull them all out easily enough.

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Impossible-Sky4256@reddit

J for jibra

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moosehead71@reddit

I remember a Reddit post where a call centre worker replaced his co-worker's NATO Phonetic Alphabet cheat sheet with an identical one, apart from P - Penis and V - Vagina.

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buy_me_a_pint@reddit

Yes One of my ex-work places the funeral placement two of my colleagues when phoning up the suppliers of some of our coffins had a phonic a to z of swear words for the postcodes

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Legitimate_Corgi_981@reddit

I used to have both the swear words phonetics and thanks to a random purchase in The Works an encyclopedia of sex terms....

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allie_xo@reddit

I only know it cause I went to flight attendant school and was taught it as it was the universal alphabet when communicating in aviation

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MDKrouzer@reddit

Yup, I use it quite a lot when sharing my post code on the phone which has some similar something sounding letters.

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konnekting@reddit (OP)

I get that saying “E for _____” is helpful and I do that all the time, but I just think of a word on the spot and that seems easier than learning the phonetic alphabet, imo.

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MDKrouzer@reddit

I stick with the NATO phonetic alphabet because it is an internationally recognised standard that is generally taught to customer service staff in other countries (at least in my experience). Especially if their grasp of English is a bit ropey, you might use words that they aren't familiar with if you are making up your own phonetics

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Legitimate_Corgi_981@reddit

The worst is when you use the phonetic alphabet and a customer uses an ambiguous sounding word, so you give them the two to choose from...and they just repeat the same completely nonsense word back to you. Especially the scots with their jai and gee. "is that j for juliet or g for golf?" .... "no its jai....." Yeah, i had that one several times over the years in call centre hell.

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Particular-Army-7180@reddit

Actually that reminds me, once kitted out a call-centre with new VOIP phones and each cubicle had a little flash card of NATO alphabet

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MDKrouzer@reddit

Also I don't say "W for Whiskey, A for Alpha" when I'm sharing my postcode. I say "Whiskey, Alpha, One, Two. etc etc"

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Legitimate_Corgi_981@reddit

Wait till you get onto the phonetic numbers..that throws some people out.

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2Fast2Mildly_Peeved@reddit

I once when using it had WO as two letters and rather than saying Whiskey Oscar, I just said Whisker. Only everyone on the radio network heard me and took the piss.

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DubiousVirtue@reddit

Ah, Warrington then?

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MDKrouzer@reddit

Hah no, that was just a random example

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2Fast2Mildly_Peeved@reddit

I think the benefit of knowing the NATO one and having both parties knowing it, means that not only is it going to be easier to work out the letter regardless, if for example you're talking on a bad line and I heard '......zzzzxzx for zxzx-ango', I know you're almost certainly saying T for Tango as there's no other word in the NATO alphabet that sounds like that. Whereas if you're doing your own and you've chosen H for Harley, and it's not transmitted well, I might think you mean C for Charlie. Given it's it's own alphabet you can just say the phonetic letter when spelling what you want which makes it simple. So if I wanted to spell a name, lets say, Peter, it's just Papa Echo Tango Echo Romeo, not P for Papa, E for Echo, T for Tango, E for Echo, and R for Romeo.

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digitalgibbon82@reddit

Thats actually more aggravating tbh, i dont care if you said My names sugar apple mango (sam) instead of sierra alpha mike Its the "s for sugar, a for apple, m for mango" that winds me up. Yes I know how to spell. Either say the letter or the phonetic word (whatever word you choose) you dont need to say both

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Speedbird223@reddit

I sometimes do the “F Is for Foxtrot” thing when giving my email out over the phone because my address is my initials @email provider.com Three of the letters sound similar over the phone and if I just said the phonetic alphabet word then it’d probably be sent to the full words rather than the initials…if that makes sense.

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Hercules1874@reddit

I've definitely heard S is for sugar more than once (which, unless you've specifically learnt the NATO alphabet, sounds more natural than sierra).

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v60qf@reddit

Presumably ‘sugar’ is more prone to getting lost over a noisy radio connection

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digitalgibbon82@reddit

Eshpeshially if you shound like sean connery

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CptBigglesworth@reddit

Awful because sugar doesn't have a standard "s" sound.

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Particular-Army-7180@reddit

> but I just think of a word on the spot and that seems easier than learning the phonetic alphabet, imo. Could you imagine the pain it is for the other person having to spell out a random word...

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Listentothemandem@reddit

E for eyes

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Fluffy_Juggernaut_@reddit

G for gnome

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Fluffy_Juggernaut_@reddit

K for knife

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bgd_@reddit

P for psoriasis

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another_awkward_brit@reddit

X for xylophone.

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tlc0330@reddit

P for pterodactyl

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ExcitementKooky418@reddit

D for Djibouti

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wjhall@reddit

M for Mancy

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JurassicM4rc@reddit

C for cue.

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davidsdungeon@reddit

J for Julio

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blamordeganis@reddit

E for brick A for ‘orses I for one R for mo

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Danelius90@reddit

https://youtu.be/ReJgCZ0DGnY?si=xeYTk3jAuGBFnYjy#t=109

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Jsm1337@reddit

I think the benefit is that it's a set of words that you can't mishear as another letter which a lot of words people think of on the spot tend to. The dumb joke from the TV show Archer is a good example of this, m for Mancy and N for Nancy in the same conversation.

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Nuker-79@reddit

This is why the words were chosen, back then radios would suffer distortion more so words were chosen to counter this. No two of the words sound the same so a partial or distorted word can be made out.

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tcpukl@reddit

I'm the same. I just read E for elephant.

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ameliasophia@reddit

Michael Mcintyre did a stand up bit about this exact thing [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd7LSjODoD8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd7LSjODoD8) I love it because I love Michael Mcintyre I find his comedy very wholesome

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aaeme@reddit

I know someone that chose Regina for R. (Postcode for a taxi or something.) Lots of confusion while they looked for V.

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ryan34ssj@reddit

But that's when you panic like my housemate who said B for Bee

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SlightlyIncandescent@reddit

The phonetic alphabet is just this but having a predefined word that is hard to mistake.

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BadestTony@reddit

There is an alternative phonetic alphabet; A for 'orses B for lamb C for miles ...

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Fading-Ghost@reddit

D for Kate?

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CptBigglesworth@reddit

E for Ledger

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Fading-Ghost@reddit

F for Vesence

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CptBigglesworth@reddit

G for cleaning your oven

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Shpander@reddit

B for not after

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didndonoffin@reddit

I had to come back and say this is probably the wittiest one of the lot, well played

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ExcitementKooky418@reddit

Sounds like a 2 Ronnie's sketch

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MolassesInevitable53@reddit

It predates them by quite a few years, I think.

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Uncoordinated_Bird@reddit

We have this as a huge poster, it’s fab!

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Rev_Biscuit@reddit

L for Leather. Though that doesn't work in this case

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ExcitementKooky418@reddit

Sounds like a 2 Ronnie's sketch

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JudgmentOne6328@reddit

I use it so often that I sometimes forget what my postcode is written as FT and not foxtrot tango

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folklovermore_@reddit

Same. I also have a letter in my surname that gets easily mistaken for another similar letter so use to spell that out as well.

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SparkOfLife1@reddit

I only do it out of habit from hearing my parents do the same thing.

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SBolger234@reddit

My postcode ends in "FU" so I always do it now.

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stargirl286@reddit

Ex call centre worker here so I know it although used to follow my own/what the customer used instead of the "proper" one. However I did once have a customer use "q for cucumber" said with confidence!

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Silly-Marionberry332@reddit

I work in security and my boss drilled it into all of us

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StrugglingSwan@reddit

I think so. I'm not certain I know every word but I think I know most of them. However, the point of the phonetic alphabet isn't precision, it's removing the ambiguity. M for mother or m for Monday works either way since nother and nonday aren't words.

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nicofdarcyshire@reddit

I take great joy in saying "xylophone" instead of x-ray...

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audigex@reddit

Damn right I do - G for Gnome - K for Knot - M for Mnemonic - P for Pterodactyl - W for Wrap Call centres hate me

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MerchMills@reddit

Yaha! But that’s because I’m a child of the 80s and 90s and grew up watching The Bill 😂

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KezzyKesKes@reddit

Yes married to an ex serviceman who taught me it.

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ema_l_b@reddit

I feel like I know a fair bit of it until I actually need to use it, then it's b for bertie, L for lorry, I for I don't know pls help me

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Gedadahear@reddit

Railway, Security, Aviation, Police, many sectors use the Nato phoenetic alphabet. It just makes it easy spell out key information… why not just learn it. What you got to lose?

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thebarcodelad@reddit

I got taught it in Air Cadets. I have a habit of memorising patterns, so i picked it up within a couple of hours. I still use it to this day. I work in IT, and one of my coworkers is a little hard of hearing. When receiving items, we’ll rattle off the serial numbers or asset tags using the phonetic alphabet. “Mark! Such-and-such returned a laptop, you’re in End Point Manager, can you wipe it? Asset ending 9 (Niner) Foxtrot Delta Papa Whiskey. Cheers.”

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NightKid89@reddit

I do because my surname is a conjunction of two different names from different languages. It's always been easier to just spell it this way to make sure there is no mistake.

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2Fast2Mildly_Peeved@reddit

I've known it for quite a while, it's second nature when I need to spell things out. Only issue is when people don't realise what I'm going and think I'm talking gobbledegook. I used to work in a call centre and now work in a place where verbal communication over shit radios is essential, so it's been useful. So many people when I worked in the call centre used their own version of it that defeated the point of the words being quite unique and unmistakable with other words starting with that letter though....

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WatchOne2032@reddit

I do, I've worked in IT for decades so that's probably got something to do with it.

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MaxBennyandtheJets@reddit

i learned it as a kid for fun, and i still know it if i recite it, but when i actually need to use it on the phone, i can guarantee that i’ll end up saying something dumb like f for fallopian tube 😭

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sillynougoose@reddit

Know most of it, but have it saved to a sticky note on my desktop for those I can’t remember Comes in handy

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MasterAnything2055@reddit

For the odd phone call as long as you know the first letting or the word you should be ok. If someone says Hotel you should know that begins with and H

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ShirtedRhino2@reddit

I have heard O for 'Otel once, which threw me a bit.

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Chunkss@reddit

Was it a sexy French woman?

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ShirtedRhino2@reddit

It was a very northern man.

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Stellarkin1996@reddit

i work within the government so its good practice to know it for communication

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slharibo@reddit

Having worked in call centres I feel like it's something I'll never forget

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Jon199102@reddit

Work in aviation. Think that's hard. Try learning airport codes..

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WhiteKnightPrimal@reddit

I learned it once, but I can only actually remember the common ones or the ones I use often. I don't think it's all that big of a thing, a lot of people either don't know it or only certain letters.

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michael3353@reddit

Alpha Bravo Charlie Delta Echo Foxtrot Golf Hotel India Julie Kilo Lima Mike November Oscar Papa Quebec Romeo Sierra Tango Uniform Victor Whiskey Xray Yankee Zulu

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samiDEE1@reddit

I learned it as a child, comes in handy occasionally

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BeardedBaldMan@reddit

I thought it was common knowledge, most people seem to know it.

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avspuk@reddit

They're still looking for an 'F'.^(arent we all)

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ArcadiaRivea@reddit

What about Fan, as in "Pen y Fan"? It's pronounced "van"

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avspuk@reddit

Not sure 'foregin' is allowed & if you saw the word you'd not say 'van' But it's not my post or endeavour. Maybe it needs a whole new post to concentrate/attract the hive-mind?

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ArcadiaRivea@reddit

Was just the closest word I could think of just off the top of my head that fits ha I saw Llandudno was on there, and a few words that didn't seem to be English (it does say "or Anglicised" so I assume it counts under that criteria since Llandudno is also Welsh) That would be a great idea though, there's bound to be someone smart who has the perfect word!

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avspuk@reddit

Well your Llandudno argument is persuasive. The post's OP isn't that active, but perhaps they should get 'first refusal'? OTOH they've had 7 years to get it together. You can do it if you like. If you don't want to then maybe we could find a "deserving" low karma noob? I dunno. Maybe some passing random will take up the idea # run with it? Either way it only got 159karma so maybe it will gain little traction? Also there's the point that perhaps the task should be left incomplete quietly waiting for an answer to arise organically? I dunno.

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ArcadiaRivea@reddit

I agree, and if it's not that word or another similar, maybe the English language is still yet to evolve, the perfect word may yet still be to come? Perhaps one day, a fabled "chosen one" will have the answer, thus completing it

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avspuk@reddit

A new term for 'mysteries of the ages' such as this conundrum itself clearly needs to be coined d thus solve the problem. Got to get it into the dictionary tho, but reddit seems like a good place to start such an effort. Got to identify a few other such puzzles first tho

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anotherblog@reddit

Fonetic

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avspuk@reddit

LOL Close, but agin the rules. Phonetic would work for P, they use Pterodactyl

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DoNotDmPls@reddit

Yes. I got bored. Quick and easy to learn.

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LemursCanSing@reddit

Yes. Because my father is a narcissist and he taught me shit only he found interesting and it was the only time I spent any time with him as a child. When he made me learn shit he wanted to show off already knowing. To a child.

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Alexander-Wright@reddit

I volunteer as a licensed festival steward. Part of the training is to learn the phonetic alphabet (NATO version) as you need to be clear over a radio. Little known fact: The alphabet includes pronouncing numbers in a particular way too.

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AppropriateLength948@reddit

I learnt it while waiting in an A and E waiting room for three hours with my partner as she'd stood on a nail, we just sat there and kept repeating it to each other and then would try and spell words using it, I'm sure other People in that waiting room were sick of us by the time we left (we tried to be quiet and not annoy anyone) but it was a fun little game and now we know the phonetic alphabet.

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Flabberghast97@reddit

Yes all of it. I interviewed at a place where one of the tests for clear communication was spelling things using the phonetic alphabet. I used to just spell signs in my head with it until it all went in.

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spiralspirits@reddit

OP....I've 'got your six', always mate!

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designerwookie@reddit

A for Horses B for Mutton C for Miles D for Kate E for Brick F for Vessence ...that one? ...can't remember the rest...

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chin_waghing@reddit

Yes - I worked on the help desk and reading out passwords over the phone was a lot easier. I have been described as “looking like a fed” so when I used it to read a license plate for my CBT the guy thought I was in the police or some government agency.

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PatSHIELD@reddit

Yes but I don’t recall learning it

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SlightlyMithed123@reddit

I do because I used to watch The Bill when I was younger.

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ExcitementKooky418@reddit

Tango Tango, 2 Fantas, and a Lilt

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lammy82@reddit

Haha, that was The Thin Blue Line

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Incitatus_For_Office@reddit

Actually, it's a mars bar!

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SoggyWotsits@reddit

Strange to think that lilt is now on the way to being a thing of the past! I suppose it’d be Tango, Tabgo, 2 Fantas… and another Fanta!

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DarkDeetz@reddit

Cornetto.

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IntellegentIdiot@reddit

I think the most they said was sierra Oscar and maybe the odd one occasionally.

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pointsofellie@reddit

Nah I picked it up from The Bill as well, there must've been more than that.

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Actual-Butterfly2350@reddit

This is why I know it 😂

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TheSpaceFace@reddit

I’m suprised the amount of people who don’t know it, I kinda presumed everyone knew it.

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JK07@reddit

I was in scouts when I was young, we had to learn it there and it stuck with me. Now I work in Oil and Gas, every so often it comes in handy when using the radio offshore. Sometimes use it over the phone too

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Illustrious_Force565@reddit

Yep. Work in aviation so it's second nature now. However I learnt it years ago at the age of 6 in radio club at school. We used to spell our names out phonetically to strangers all over the world lol CQ CQ CQ.

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Cirieno@reddit

It's very useful for dictating postcodes on the phone.

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Nearby_Band_2932@reddit

I once said Y for Wankee, instead of Yankee. Never lived it down at work. Mortified.

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vms-crot@reddit

Yes, it's very useful. If the line is bad or there's similar sounding letters B and D for example or M and N, it pays to know how to spell phonetically. Having an agreed standard makes it easy to know if part of the word is not heard too. If you say "a for apple" and the listener only hears the "le" sound they might think L. But if you say "Alpha" and they hear the "ha" syllable, they'll be more likely to understand.

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Tarjhan@reddit

Dad was a fireman (retained, but it still counts), he taught it to my siblings and I as, I guess, a fun activity (which it was).

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EnforcerMemz@reddit

Yep - I learned it during my security guarding days, I also happen to have a name that isn't native to where I live so I've had to spell my name letter by letter using the alphabet almost all the time.

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Radiant_Community614@reddit

Working on the ambulances it’s needed if your crew mate needs a postcode and you’re sat in the back, on the radio also to clarify words and what you’re saying clearly

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FunnyLittleNightmare@reddit

My family has a military background, I have an awkward last name and my post code has a lot of similar sounding letters. I would have had a much harder time if I didn't learn it tbh.

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Psychological-Web828@reddit

The Latin Ph

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Albert_Herring@reddit

Yes, but I've been a two-way radio user in a couple of roles. I also know the Italian one (which is mostly placenames, Ancona, Bari, Como, Domodossola...) and an older military one (able baker charlie dog easy fox...)

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MrAlf0nse@reddit

There are a couple of main phonetic alphabets so frankly just express yourself and use whatever words you want

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SomeWomanFromEngland@reddit

I learned it for fun. It has occasionally been useful though, mostly when writing down postcodes.

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InfaSyn@reddit

Yes - because Ive spent enough time talking dodgy french companies with awful mobile signal. Our new Arab guy saying Elephant Prostitute threw me off guard though...

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OzzyinKernow@reddit

Yes. But it annoys me when people say ‘t for tango, r for Romeo, u for uniform, e for echo’ and so on. Takes forever. Should just be ‘tango Romeo uniform echo’.

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GolfTraditional8113@reddit

We were taught it for Radio voice procedure in the armed forces, there was also a phonetic pronouncattion of numbers although I can only recall nine was pronounced niner. My Grandparents ( WW2 veterans) used a different phonetic language and I wondered why it changed - A - Able , B - Baker, C - Charlie was D - Dog? Not sure? 👍

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Automatic_Bus2848@reddit

We have an alternative Phonetic Alphabet in works. Genuine words that callers have used. Such as: A is for America B is for Bee C as in Seagull (I shit you not. It gets better) D is for Doris E as in X-Ray F as in Facebook G as in God H for Hiccups I for Idiot J as in Giraffe K for Clown L as in Lego M for Empty N for Knickers O for Oral P for Penis (apparently it was the first thing she thought of) Q as in....Queue R for Rambo S for Psycho T as in Pteradactyl U for underwear V for Voodoo W for What X for Expert Y for Yolo Z for Xylophone

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vegchoccaramel@reddit

A for armadillo

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LeonDeSchal@reddit

Yankee, echo, sierra

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Ethicsgradien7@reddit

Yes , worked at sea.

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Zerocoolx1@reddit

M, for Mancy

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Top-Hat1126@reddit

Yes I know it, I use it on the phone all the time

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Mrs_Peee@reddit

I like to make up my own, I’m sure it’s much more fun for the other person!

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Geekonomicon@reddit

I knew it already but I've given myself a refresher in it as I've just started work in a call centre.

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peelyon85@reddit

Use it a lot for work (on the phone). Makes life easier when giving out my postcode but not much else day to day!

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_FirstOfHerName_@reddit

I learned it at cubs and air cadets and it just stuck.

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Appletwirls@reddit

Yes, both my grandfather's and my maternal grandmother were in the forces

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thedummyman@reddit

Offshore sailing and Royal Signals - I think I have ‘always’ known the phonetic alphabet.

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anemoschaos@reddit

It's useful for radio communications when reception might be poor. Call signs for planes or boats maybe? Or when you call emergency services. Or when you are giving a 20 digit alphanumeric ID to the utility company. Sounding out letters to the partially deaf. Anytime you are sound, not visual, and need to communicate clearly.

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Elligma@reddit

It's pretty useful. I set a picture of the phonetic alphabet as my phone wallpaper so I can look at it throughout the day. It didn't take long to learn at all.

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Craig_52@reddit

Used all over the world by law enforcement and military… then LAPD (Los Angeles police department) thinks they have to come up with their own special version!

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lodav22@reddit

I run a garage so I use it every day for ordering parts vis number plate but imagine my surprise when I recently found out Q was Quebec!

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PutAdvanced1230@reddit

Yankee Echo Sierra

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Bigluce@reddit

Yes. Needed it for a job, working alongside police officers.

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Froomian@reddit

I learnt it so that I could practice reciting it whenever I had a panic attack. So now I know it perfectly. It's a great technique to deal with panic attacks btw. Practice learning any similar sequence and focus on that when having a panic attack.

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Recent_Strawberry456@reddit

A for horse B for ham C for miles D for dumb.....

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sparkypants_@reddit

I know it because I was receptionist in a car show room as a teenager and needed it for taking down car reg's over the phone. It's surprisingly easy to pick it up. I find sporcle quizzes a fun and easy way to learn https://www.sporcle.com/games/g/alpha_en though I do vehemently disagree with I for India. It's Indigo!

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eldrad666@reddit

Yup, was a call centre minion in a previous life.

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RhysT86@reddit

Yes, I taught my elder brother when he joined the Police. I don't actually know how or when I learned it though.

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OhMyHessNess@reddit

I work in a call centre, some of the alternative phonetics customers give us are fantastic. U for unicorn, Q for Cucumber, O for Australia, F for f*ck. To answer your question, It's very useful for phone conversations and occasionally pub quizzes, not much use anywhere else. I learned it as part of lifeguard training and use it every day now.

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LiveCheapDieRich@reddit

Yankee Echo Sierra.

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schaweniiia@reddit

Yes. I used to work in an international industry where English is the main language used, but most people are pretty bad at it, so it's vital to spell important details out over the phone.

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MineralRabbit@reddit

Yes. It's useful for spelling things out over the phone or any time I'm not able to be heard clearly - I did work in a call centre for years, but that only solidified the knowledge, I already knew it from having to spell my weird surname out over the years and the rest of the letters seemed useful.

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Ok-Phrase-2093@reddit

I do, but I used to work in a Call Centre

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ReadAllAboutIt92@reddit

Yes, I learned it in the Air Cadets, and then needed when I worked for an electronics company with long confusing part numbers, and then I started to learn to fly… so yeah. It’s super useful.

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MON90go@reddit

Yankee Echo Papa.

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Sheldon1979@reddit

I worked for a call centre and you used it then to differentiate the letters of the alphabet, and once you use them now and then for a couple of years its hard to forget.

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Massive_Role6317@reddit

I can probably bullshit my way through most of it

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lankymjc@reddit

I learned it working radios for St John Ambulance. It's one of those things that's not really worth taking the time to learn in your free time, but if you pick it up as part of something else then it comes in handy.

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Davilyan@reddit

Foxtrot.Unicorn.Charlie.Kilo.

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Three_Steaks_Pam@reddit

Pretty much. I blame being really into The Bill when I was younger

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slinkyperuna@reddit

We got taught it during basic training and they went round the class and got recruits to say each letter. I'll never forget when it got to our mate Leeroy, instructors completely broke character! (his name wasn't Leeroy before we got to letter L)

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WestyTea@reddit

A colleague of mine once said on the phone "G for gnome... confusingly". The whole office burst out laughing.

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Scott-the-legend@reddit

Bible

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throwaway-penny@reddit

It's my only party trick.

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ben_jamin_h@reddit

Yeah it's easy! Alpha Beta Ceta Deeta Eeee.... Fuck

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coldlikedeath@reddit

Yes because I’m weird.

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Weird_Challenge6480@reddit

I have only just recently learned it myself. I am currently becoming a pilot and must know the phonetic alphabet, so I learned it using number plates to practice. I’ve known it for 2 months now and it has helped me a great deal. I use it about once a week now for random things like: telling someone my number plate. Telling someone a part number for a item that I need. Spelling words to people that are dyslexic.

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SoggyWotsits@reddit

I do. I work in car sales and deal with chassis numbers and registration numbers all day long. It’s important to be accurate!

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FossilisedHypercube@reddit

Yes but I always argue that it's not phonetic. It's just not phonetic. For example, "Alpha" does not sound like "A". "Bravo" does not sound like "B". I could go on. Anyway, I prefer to call it the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet.

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rickrobbin@reddit

INDIA FOXTROT YANKEE OSCAR UNIFORM CHARLIE ALPHA NOVEMBER ROMEO ECHO ALPHA DELTA TANGO HOTEL INDIA SIERRA INDIA MIKE NOVEMBER ECHO VICTOR ECHO ROMEO GOLF OSCAR NOVEMBER NOVEMBER ALPHA GOLF INDIA VICTOR ECHO YANKEE OSCAR UNIFORM UNIFORM PAPA

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throwawayfoundpaper@reddit

I know the phonetic & Greek alphabets & accidentally mix them up sometimes.

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BenGunner00@reddit

Only from watching The Bill as a kid

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Still-Wonder-5580@reddit

I used to work for a travel agency so yup I know it and I used it every day too

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bearwright1@reddit

Yes I do, but having to quote the reg with the fuel card every time i fill up made me know it became easier and not having to think about it l, sometimes over the phone I get brain fog and go errrrrrrr and make one up lol

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hhfugrr3@reddit

I do. I don't know why I know it, I never set out to learn it. On my first flying lesson the instructor asked if I knew it, I'd never thought about it but he's got me to go through it & I had them all. Like I say, no idea why I know it.

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Penster78@reddit

Y for wanky

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garyk1968@reddit

Yes but only because of many hours spent on CB radio back in the 80s.

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yellowsubmarine8618@reddit

I know it but can never remember it when i'm actually needing to use it so end up making up my own. Mind just goes blank. Can remember them all afterwards!

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Specialist-Web7854@reddit

I do, I learnt it as a child on a long car journey in the decades before phones and tablets. I learnt finger spelling the same way. I use both, so staving off boredom in a Hillman Husky has somewhat paid off.

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citeursauces@reddit

Are you talking about IPA - International Phonetic Alphabet? Or something else? I know some IPA, which helps with dictionary pronunciations, but otherwise is useless in daily life ;)

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Different-Sleep-6985@reddit

Yes. I used it it during military service

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Dazzling-Landscape41@reddit

Yes, mainly because i worked in my dad's car garage as a young teen and then an insurance company as an older teen.

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morris_man@reddit

I used to be bilingual in alphabets as I worked in aviation (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, etc) but on IBM computers (Able, Baker, Charlie, Dog, Easy, Fox, etc)

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DisorderOfLeitbur@reddit

"Able, Baker, Charlie, Dog, Easy, Fox" was also used during WWII

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anotherblog@reddit

This is what the US used (referred to as the Able Baker alphabet) before it was standardised to the version we all use today, which is the NATO phonetic alphabet. Before NATO standardisation was implemented, Britain was a mess, with RAF, army and navy having wildly different variants https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allied_military_phonetic_spelling_alphabets#RAF_radiotelephony_spelling_alphabet

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Elgin-Franklin@reddit

I found that out from Band of Brothers. Easy Company wasn't a battle nickname, it was phonetic for E Company.

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LaSalsiccione@reddit

TIL. I feel stupid for not realising this but I was a teenager when I watched it so maybe not so bad

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Particular-Ad8831@reddit

I read a postcode to someone on the phone that included G - Golf She read it back but replaced it with 'Germany' Confused the bejesus out of me.

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brighthair84@reddit

Yes but needed to for most of my jobs. I don’t care what people say as long as they don’t just yell F or S louder. Just say S for shit if you need to

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The_not-so_chosen_1@reddit

Alpha Bravo Charlie Delta Echo Foxtrot Golf Hotel India Lima November Quebec Whiskey X-ray Zulu - Might have missed some 😂

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Secretariat21@reddit

Tbh the only reason I know it is because my mother was hardcore military and forced me to join RAF cadets. One of their requirements is to know the phonetic alphabet off by heart so we can use it whenever necessary. In secondary school, we’d have exercises sometimes where we’d need to use the phonetic alphabet but most kids in my class were so confused and had no idea what it meant even after having a teacher explain multiple times.

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koopooky@reddit

Was ordering a take-away once and did not know the proper phonetics. Guy taking the order was not 100% fluent in English. For postcode I was like ..... L for Lion...S for Sunshine..1...4.......Q for....ermmm.....Q for....hhmmm...then he suddenly pipes up...."Q for Q-cumber!"

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DuskyUK@reddit

Yes. I do. Not common knowledge I'd say, most people know some of them but not super quick. Its handy when you've got a silly accent like me though, especially talking to people in the south.

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PaulBradley@reddit

Yes. Since I was fourteen, so thirty years.

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glenman1882@reddit

Yeah I use it daily I'm work

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Snickerty@reddit

Do you mean the Nato Phonetic Alphabet (Alpha, Beta, Charlie etc) or the IPA phonetic alphabet (which I can't do on my phone, but is the squiggly lines and marks which you find in dictionaries to tell you how to pronounce a word)? I generally make up my own for the first when spelling out something on the telephone. I do know the second, although rusty, as I used to teach English.

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Sasstellia@reddit

I know some of it. Probabely worth learning properly.

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CheetahNervous7704@reddit

Alpha, bravo, Charlie, Delta, e..... for elephant, f.... for Frank

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RobHowdle@reddit

I learnt it because I used to live in a place where my post code an the letter N in it. Often people on the phone especially people who's native language wasn't english would often mistake this for M. Also sometimes other letters would be misheard. C & Z for example. It was just easier and saved time

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xXNighthauntXx@reddit

I know it through work

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be_sugary@reddit

Yessir!

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Dan_A_B@reddit

Yankee Echo Sierra. Whether it's worth it depends on your career, I guess. I do find it handy for, like you mentioned, using it on the phone. I had to learn it for my SIA (security) course, and for some reason, it stuck despite never getting a security job ( the catch 22 of everyone wanted experience but there are no jobs to get experience from.)

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achuislemochroi@reddit

Yes. My email address is in Irish, so it's useful for the times I occasionally have to spell it during a phone call. The first letter of my postcode is S, so the phonetic alphabet is useful there, too; Sierra is clearly not Foxtrot.

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OzurieXV@reddit

I've been trying to learn it but there are some letters that I just can't get into my head at all. I'll go through it, get to 'G' and be like "g... g... what the fuck is g... graham? garbage? gammon? GAMMA?.. Ahhh it's gamma". It's not gamma, it's Golf. Same with X, I have absolutely no idea what 'X' is and I never will, regardless of how many times I look it up. To me, 'X' will always end up being Xylophone which defeats the point if someone wants to spell it as 'Zylophone' but whatever. And no, X-ray does not exist in my mind when I'm faced with this issue.

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myhairusedtobeblonde@reddit

Yes because I used to work at Argos and they use it for shelf locations.

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asrielrising84@reddit

Yes and i have no idea where i learned it or when

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LilGreenGobbo@reddit

Highly useful if working with a lot of phone calls, accents from all over can get very tricky. Or for spelling out a password back to someone lol

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Choccybizzle@reddit

Yes but ex Navy so that’s probably why. One of my small joys is hearing others panic when trying to say a postcode or something in the phone and their minds go blank.

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CammyCozy@reddit

Working in customer services on the phone it’s essential, just to clarify we are not putting in the wrong information and everything is correct. mainly because we can’t hear them or understand the accent.

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-Rednal-@reddit

My dad practiced it with me before he took his exam to work on the railway, as a result we both know it and it does make phone calls a lot easier. For the minimal amount of effort it takes it’s absolutely worth knowing.

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FPHobby@reddit

Think it’s either forced on you by proddesion or you’re just brought up with it. If you don’t need to learn it, knowing it for your postcode and licence plate is enough to avoid embarrassing “h for hairy” moments… For me - my male relatives growing up are all engineers on both sides of the family and my female relatives are all nurses on both sides (side note - wondering if “family professions” like that are common - lawyers, drs etc seem to do similar!) So I grew up in an environment where accuracy and clarity were important - “military time” and phonetic alphabet were just the norm really - everyone learns the “kids phonetic alphabet” growing up “a for apple” etc - at some point I guess people just started using the “adult” one and it’s second nature - however I do enjoy throwing in “gnome” “xylophone” and “pterodactyl” if I get the chance…

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JanisIansChestHair@reddit

I learnt it in cadets and can remember most of it.

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millymoggymoo@reddit

I use it daily. I work in the automotive industry. At Christmas I roll out my fancy Christmas one.

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YummyBumps@reddit

My husband knows it through work. I work with 2 year olds so I use colours, animals and food.

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Flaky_Tumbleweed3598@reddit

Yankee Echo Sierra

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angelcakeface@reddit

I make it up as I go along. I said U for unicorn once and got a chuckle at the other end of the phone.

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SmartPriceCola@reddit

I’m a security guard, I use it enough to have memorised it

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Pier-Head@reddit

C for yourself

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ElBisonBonasus@reddit

Having a foreign name.... you learn the alphabet. Although I knew it befor I moved to the UK.

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jade8384@reddit

I just picked it up along the way in life somehow. I have no idea how or why as I’ve never had a real reason to use it. But I always do when I have to give out my postcode or letters over a phone call. It infuriates me when I forget one and have to say something else that starts with that letter, like sugar instead of sierra. Then I feel like a fraud 😔

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avvocaado@reddit

Yes I do! I worked in customer service for a while, I used to have a little chest sheet blu-tacked to my computer screen. Not everyone did though... the best ones I heard were: 'E for elephant' 'E for erm....egg' 'T for Tea. Yeah like cuppa tea!' I also have quite a good grasp of the International Phonetic Alphabet as I studied English at uni. Best of both worlds

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mrbadger2000@reddit

Yup. Really useful

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toonlass91@reddit

I know most of it. It’s useful when you need to spell something to someone or tell them your postcode. Particularly useful when you have a strong accent. I will admit that I don’t know all of it, use the ones I use regularly

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Reasonable-Fail-1921@reddit

I use it at work every day so it rolls off the tongue as easy as the normal alphabet, but it is quite funny having people on the other end of the line who don’t know it trying to come up with words to match the letters. You hear some right crackers! The funniest for me is people who will say things like Alpha, Bravo…..uh….carrot! I totally understand that people’s brains just stop working when asked so if you’re one of those people who struggle with it don’t worry! I can guarantee the call handler has heard it all before and although I might chuckle about it afterwards I would never think badly of you so don’t be embarrassed!

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Obsidian-Phoenix@reddit

Yep. It makes communicating things on the phone 100 times easier. Although one time I listed out my postcode as “Alpha Bravo”, and they heard “A for Bravo”. Took a minute or two for both of us to realise the other wasn’t just an idiot.

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FairlyInconsistentRa@reddit

Yep. I work on the railway and we used it for train codes/head codes. For example 1N33 is referred to as 1 November 33. Makes for less confusion.

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Bushcrafter619@reddit

Would you use One November three three or one November thirty three?

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arczclan@reddit

Fucking winds me when someone reads them as numbers “Foxtrot” *”Foxtrot”* “Echo” *”Echo”* “Seven” *”Seven”* “-teen” **”Bastard!”**

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DubiousVirtue@reddit

Uppercase or Lowercase numbers?

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FairlyInconsistentRa@reddit

Three three. Again, purely for clarity’s sake.

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carl84@reddit

Do you say niner to avoid 5/9 confusion?

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Questjon@reddit

No, not in the UK on the railway.

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Bushcrafter619@reddit

Just testing.... Did my critical comms training on the Railway so wanted to make sure 😊

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ABraines@reddit

So I work on the Railway and during my training we were told you had to zero for zero obviously BUT at a station the other day listening to the whole "see it, say it, sorted" the other day they said the 0 in 61016 as "oh" and it upset me.

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Bushcrafter619@reddit

Yeah, this happens often with station announcements. It's just a difference in clarity requirements between general communications (ie announcement to passengers) and critical communications (eg control room to driver).

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ThinkSkirt8708@reddit

I know some of it but others I have to make up, and can never get U right. U will always be for Umbrella.

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elladeehex33@reddit

I know it but I have no idea how I learnt it as I've rarely ever had to use it.

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GeorgeN95X1@reddit

Yes, worth learning for quoting an "MN" or "BDP" number plate to your garage

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dth300@reddit

Yes. Partly because my name is easy to misspell so I use it fairly often

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TobyADev@reddit

Yeah, but like another guy I’m pilot

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cocacoolman@reddit

I do! Learned it because I just wanted to know it I guess. No taking it back now!

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DubiousVirtue@reddit

Yes and watching reruns of old quiz shows where they say B for Bill and the like infuriates me.

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GetRxbbed-@reddit

India delta Oscar November tango

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DylanRahl@reddit

Yankee Eskimo Scandinavia

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gillianhanna@reddit

Overheard a conversation of a friend trying to get through to his mother's room at a big hotel in Southern Africa and the receptionist just couldn't understand CAMERON..(friends surename).. After he tried various C words ( cat, call, cauliflower, etc) he shouted out "C for CUNT".. funny enough he got thru immediately after that ..

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justabean27@reddit

I work in a call center I need to know it

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Membob@reddit

Y for Yes.

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Styxand_stones@reddit

Yes....but I used to work in a call centre. We didn't have to learn it but I made the effort to as it did make life easier

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DankestDaddy69@reddit

Worked in a call centre for 2 years a while ago, it's just natural to use now. Every call I make where I have to read out my postcode or something, I use the phonetic alphabet. It's easy to learn, just practice.

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Clomojo87@reddit

Me too, but it seems loads of call centre plpl don't have a clue when you use it to them nowadays. I was chatting to my car insurance plpl and I said 'my postcode is gulf lemur...' the guy on the phone was like....'err what?'

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cypherspaceagain@reddit

No wonder, it's Golf Lima.

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chalkhomunculus@reddit

they're from gloucestershire, just ignore them.

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DankestDaddy69@reddit

I tend to go down the lines of "G for Golf, L for Lima..." it takes longer but it ensures no mistakes are made. I often get a impromptu thanks for using phonetics and they can build a little rapport with me.

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avspuk@reddit

Birmingham City Council housing repairs call centre about 15 years ago "o for apples" "do you mean a for apples or o for oranges?" "yes" Turned out they were all regularly on lab psilocybin & the whole thing was repeatedly declared "unfit for purpose" (Inc in more than one court case) & thus it was shut down & the work hived-off to capita.

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bucketofardvarks@reddit

I used to work in a call centre too but 5 years later when I'm asked to read my number plate over the phone I'm panicking and can't remember a single letter 😂

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darybrain@reddit

I much prefer using the unphonetic alphabet as it makes calls more interesting: - A: aether B: bee / bdellium C: ctenophore D: djembe E: eye F: fjord (maybe - can't think of a silent f letter word) G: gnat H: honour I: Aye J: jalapeño K: knee L: Llanelli M: mnemonic N: Nguyen O: oestrogen P: pneumatic Q: qi R: Rzeznik S: sgraffitto T: tsunami U: Uighur V: Volkswagen W: write X: xylophone Y: Yreka Z: Zaragoza

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TheInvisibleWun@reddit

I do, and use it all the time.

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Accomplished-Big5216@reddit

Learnt as radio operator in the armed forces. Do people really say A for Alpha, B for Bravo etc? I always just say Alpha Bravo Charlie etc quicker and in my opinion clearer.

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Additional_Airport_5@reddit

Yes - I used to work in an Argos stockroom

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neanderbeast@reddit

Yes, I work for the NHS and have to give out patient postcodes over the phone a lot.

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Hamnan1984@reddit

Yes but always worked in sales /customer service type jobs so need to know it

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RandomUKguy95@reddit

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

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amore_pomfritte@reddit

Always get stuck on N & M. Nightingale, Nero, Niagra, Nelly, Nads, Nipple, Nostrodamus...can't think of it...

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Streaker4TheDead@reddit

https://youtu.be/JZpxaiNV_sM?si=Fyhh1sXZEHh6N29q

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acceberbex@reddit

I do know it - not sure why. My dad used it on the phone so I guess certain letters are more ingrained (my dad used the official one, mum just makes up a word) Put on the spot though, I'd forget some letters and just go with what I could think of. I've yet to use something weird though (my boss went N for.....nude..ooles (noodles). I have had a client spell his name using "I for sugar". I do have a lovely sign that I put on my desk that said "Would you kindly Foxtrot Oscar" There is a great one where it's things like T for tsunami, C for cucumber, E for eye

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Aggressive-Client456@reddit

I use it in my job, spelling my surname and address 😅 Time well spent in the brownies learning the phonetic alphabet 🤦🏼‍♀️

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DavidR703@reddit

I use it a lot when I’m on the phone, not because I work in a call centre (which I do) but because I have a Scottish accent which causes problems on the phone sometimes. Fun story: I once called the police while driving to work one morning because I witnessed what looked like drunk driving happening in rush hour traffic in Glasgow. I recited the make and model of the car and passed over the registration number phonetically, which was fine. The operator then asked for my shoulder number, meaning that she thought I was on the job.

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DJALIGMA108@reddit

My native language Hindi is phonetic. Words are exactly pronounced as they are seen. No silent letters.

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Solid_Bake4577@reddit

Yankee echo sierra

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Material777@reddit

I learned it because I thought it would be a fool-proof way to never have letters mixed up, until I said ‘Sierra’ and my colleague said, “… Is that ‘C’?”

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Spatto98@reddit

An organ donation nurse once said “D for Dildo” down the phone to me

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tsotlfan@reddit

I'm 27 and worked in call centres in my early 20s, it was pretty much a must have to know because people are surprisingly deaf.

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itsjustmefortoday@reddit

I know my number plate and my post code, but I don't know all the letters.

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Common_Condition4859@reddit

I work in insurance. Depending on your accent most letters just blend into the same letter. A E I O U sound different on the phone and everyone speaks differently. F and S are the same sound. V and B. You don't have to learn the actual phonetics. When people don't know phonetics I ask them to tell me a word that starts with the letter. Some people panic and can't think. Once a guy couldn't think of a F word. I asked " say a word that starts with the letter" he responded after a few seconds "for fuck sake mate, Foxtrot." "F, Thank you."

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EveryDayASchoolDay@reddit

Yankee echo sierra. Pops was in air traffic control.

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itsapotatosalad@reddit

Q for cucumber.

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hurricanepilotpete@reddit

B for...Baked Beans. P for.... Pneumonia. ( I think it was Brian Regan)

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xxnicknackxx@reddit

I once baited a scammer who had called me at random and was trying to get access to my pc remotely. I played along until he told me to download AnyDesk, after which he told me I should see some numbers on the screen. This was the code that would give him remote access to my computer. I told him there were no numbers, only letters. He got a bit flustered and said I must be wrong, it would be numbers. I insisted it was honestly just a string of random letters. He said to go on and read him the code then. G for Golf O for Oscar F for Foxtrot U for Uniform C for um Chocolate K for um er King Y for Y for um Yellow O for Opportunity U for Umbrella, ella R for err R for Um R for Um R for Rocket S for Sun E for Electricity L for Laughter F for Fun And Games! Do you know what, I said, I think that spells... Then, to hammer the point home I broke out an Urdu insult I know. As the penny dropped he repeated the Urdu insult in a very dissapointed tone, then hung up. All told it had taken about 40 mins to get to this point. I do know the correct NATO phonetic alphabet, but in some cases it can be fun to act like you don't know it.

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Mr-Stripes@reddit

I always use G for Gnome, just to confuse people :D

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sAmSmanS@reddit

india kilo november oscar whisky india tango

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spudgun81@reddit

Yanke Echo Sierra. Used to work in a call centre.

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stayh1ghh@reddit

Have you worked in an office? It's not hard to add 1 and 1 together, if only people you talk with over a phone is using it, it's rather simple to come to the conclusion that customer service agents or anyone with a telephone based job is taught the phonetic alphabet, calls aren't very clear and it's easy to mistake phonetically similar letters when taking postcodes etc.

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TacticalChalky@reddit

Yes, but I work in the justice system and it's sort of a requirement. You'll find most people who work in public or civil services like police, paramedics, firemen, doctors/nurses, solicitors/paralegals, armed forces etc. will know phonetics. It's normally used in jobs where clarity of communication is extremely important for one reason or another.

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pretend-its-good@reddit

Yeah but i learnt it for fun. It also comes in handy now i know it though and i wouldn’t go back!

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AppearanceLost9384@reddit

Used to work in call centres so I know it Fucking boring so I make it up now “Q for cucumber” “N for gnome” as one wee old man once told me lol.

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Even-Funny-265@reddit

Yeah I know it. Makes it soo much easier when giving out post code etc.

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SweetEvaporatedMilk@reddit

Yes, worked in a call centre lol

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Gnasher279@reddit

Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, India, Juliet, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Uniform, Victor, Whiskey, X-Ray, Yankee and Zulu.

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Aerositic@reddit

Yes, I used to play a game with my grandad in traffic where we would read the phonetic alphabet of a licence plate and see who could work out what car we were looking at. I always regret not taking more of an interest in cars with him, especially now I'm older and I'm the only one in my family who is a car enthusiast. It would've been nice for him to see the cars I've had and worked on or even work on them with me.

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lokfuhrer_@reddit

Yes, I use it at work most days. Very useful for all kinds of stuff, postcodes, numberplates, passwords etc when spelling them out for whatever reason.

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mjr511@reddit

I know some. But not all. One time I had to say " J for Jaffa Cake " because no other word beginning with J existed in my mind at that time 🤦

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zippydippy2002@reddit

Yep but I have to for work

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DutchOfBurdock@reddit

Phonetics have uses still, especially when spelling something out (more especially over the phone or a radio). I'm a ham radio operator, so it's useful to use the nato phonetic alphabet. This reduces confusion on what letter is being said.

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jonewer@reddit

Yeah, my surname sounds really cool in the phonetic alphabet

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Kamay1770@reddit

Yes, learned it in the Army. It's very useful, but it's increasingly common where when asked for things like a McDonald's app order number, if I say it using the phonetic alphabet at the drive through they just get confused why I'm saying random words at them.

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TimothyBenn@reddit

Yes. I used to work in a secure hospital and it was part of the radio training. I've also worked peripherally with the police and they use it a lot. It can come in handy, just not that often.

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bigmartyhat@reddit

>Do you know the phonetic alphabet? I do!

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JLD2207@reddit

I know about 50% of it, then I just start thinking of random words when I’m trying to spell stuff over the phone lol “Uh yeah, k as in karate”

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TheIncontrovert@reddit

P for....pneumonia

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Ok-Elderberry-6761@reddit

I use it everywhere but the McDonald's drive thru because it boggles their minds half of the time.

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dbrown100103@reddit

Yes, I started flight school when I was younger so learnt bits of it then. I intended on going back to complete my PPL so learnt the entire phonetic alphabet but never went through with it due to money. Comes in handy when on the phone though as I have a lot of letters in my number plate that are mistaken as others

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neutrino46@reddit

I know it, I'm a radio ham.

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FrenzalStark@reddit

Yeah, but I used to work for the MoD so it was a necessary part of the job.

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Aggravating-Doubt-65@reddit

It's funny when people don't know and just make up their own. “so the postcode is butterfly door 56 trumpet 8 9“

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sircrespo@reddit

Yeah, I work on the railway and it's used all the time

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Interesting_Space110@reddit

Yes. By the age of 9/10 I could probably recite it. Grew up in a military house, dad had OCD and liked things done properly (I mean don’t we all I guess) but would be really twatty and confirm instructions/Postal codes/Road names, you name it, he’d use that bloody alphabet for it. Came in use at uni once for a pub quiz Comes in use now as letters of our postcode sound similar

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EarthAppropriate3808@reddit

The worse your client’s phone line is, the more useful it becomes. Up to a certain a point at least.

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Oceansoul119@reddit

Which phonetic alphabet though? There's several of the things.

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wales-bloke@reddit

Yep. I worked in call centres for 3 years, it was part of the job. It really helped when I was learning to fly - it's a key part of communication with air traffic control.

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ArseBiscuits@reddit

Yes but only from necessity, I worked at an IT helpdesk for many years. It was invaluable when I was speaking to someone whom English wasn't their first language.

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naughtyreverend@reddit

Yeah. Most are easy. Still need to figure out the last couple. A for Are B for BBQ C Cucumber D for 500 E for Eye F for... for... G for Gnome H for Heir I for 1 J for Jalepeno K for Knife L for 50 M 1000 N O for Opossum P for Pterodactyl Q for Quay R S for Sea T for Tsunami U for ummmm V for 5 W for Why X for 10 Y Yelots Z for Zero

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bevwalden01@reddit

Used to work in Argos, I know it too well.

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SlightlyIncandescent@reddit

Fairly common knowledge but not that surprised when someone doesn't know it. Any phone job, anything military (even army/aur cadets as kids), anything aviation related and any police related job and you're probably going to learn it. Covers quite a lot of people.

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KC-2416@reddit

Any emergency service.

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Formal-Guarantee777@reddit

I moved to Newcastle where all vowels sound the same. It's invaluable here.

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Ok_Ranger_6134@reddit

Yes, I worked in aviation for ten years and it hasn't left me 😅

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middyandterror@reddit

I learnt it in a call centre, but I certainly don't judge anyone for not knowing it, I probably wouldn't know it otherwise. As long as someone clarifies what letter it is, I don't care if they say S for sierra or S for sugar.

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Butter_the_Toast@reddit

Use it constantly at work

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RealisticBug5646@reddit

I was a police officer and now work for the local council, so have used it daily for many years. However I love other people's interpretation and some of the random examples I hear. Recent ones have included: B for "Bastard" H for "Holibobs" and I for "I don't bloody know!"

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YellowBernard@reddit

Learning the phonetic alphabet was, for a short period, the "fun activity" we did on car journeys with the kids. Not the most popular game, which was naming a whole alphabet of Simpsons Characters, but mildly amusing. I think it's a handy skill.

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hlvd@reddit

Yankee Echo Sierra

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Darlingtonlad@reddit

I know it well. I suppose I should do, I spent a fair few years in the Army! Lol

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notmyself02@reddit

For a minute there I thought you were talking about the IPA and was pleasantly surprised. I do use the "radio" alphabet quite a bit on the phone, especially to spell my foreign surname

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roesenthaller@reddit

I’ve always felt that communication is important so try to use it properly. I think I absorbed it as opposed to learning it.

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Xpecto_Depression@reddit

Yes but I learned it from watching NCIS in primary school 😂

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odious_odes@reddit

Apha, bravo, Charlie, delta, echo, foxtrot, golf, Hotel, indigo?, ???, ???, lima, Mike, ???, ???, papa, ???, Robert?, Sierra, tango, ???, violet?, ???, x-ray, yacht?, zebra? That's what comes to mind when I try. Some letters I don't know at all, some I am unsure of, the rest probably mixed from various phonetic alphabets or just wrong.

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UKZzHELLRAISER@reddit

I do, mostly from years of working on first line IT support where letters sound similar over a phone. Now I just use it out of habit and always get looks like "woah aren't you a pedantic prick" but hey, you understood me didn't you?

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Gone_off_milk_@reddit

I do however for some reason I forgot what W and U are. Anyone remind me?

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CrazyChris1912@reddit

I have learned it thanks to Air Cadets

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leo_chaos@reddit

No, but if I did then a couple of years ago it would have saved me from saying "mama" as the first thing that came to mind ("papa" was used a few letter before it). I heard the woman on the phone trying to suppress her laughter as I eurghed immediately after saying it.

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the-false-name@reddit

A lot of people do use M for mother instead of Mike

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TraditionalCow220@reddit

You get Sugar and Sierra as well

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Practical-Purchase-9@reddit

Some, like sugar, are pre-NATO. Dog, Easy, Fox, etc.

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longtermbrit@reddit

Yeah but mama hits different.

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leo_chaos@reddit

I'd have been fine if I'd said mother like an adult vs mama like an infant

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MrLore@reddit

That was the official abbreviation the Post Office used to use (for telegrams and such).

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Excellent_Tear3705@reddit

Ex said "T for...tablecloth" and I just pissed myself laughing, could hear the agent on the phone laughing as well.

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Background-End2272@reddit

Yeah, we had to learn it when I joined the civil service in 2003 and it has stuck, but I'm not precious if folk don't know it. As Long as the information gets out who cares? My army pal is super dicky about it having to be "right"

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novalunaa@reddit

Nope. I’ll be on the phone like, ‘no, sorry, it’s EMMMM as in… Montgomery, A as in axolotl…’ so I should probably learn (but won’t)

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callytoad@reddit

At work we have the malicious phonetic alphabet which we use for those annoying calls, or just to troll D is for Deuce K is for Knight P is for Pneumonia etc

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thefooleryoftom@reddit

Yes, worked in automotive trade for years so it’s essential. Dealing with anyone over the phone I’ve found it useful too. Although “zulu” makes me uncomfortable for some reason.

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Glad-Hand15@reddit

I am working on it to learn. It comes in handy and others think of you as professional speller then. Kinda improves communication too.

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BenBo92@reddit

There was a period in the late 00s where there'd be a NATO phonetic alphabet question in every pub quiz. With me being an avid pub quizzer, I just learnt it. So yes, it's picked me up a good few points over the years.

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Rapturerise@reddit

I work in a shop and customers use it often. There's a few who make up the words for letters but most people seem to know it. I used to work in retail security so used it daily.

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Frosty-Presence2776@reddit

I do but it's more fun to use different words.

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ww82@reddit

P for psoriatic arthritis.

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CheesecakeExpress@reddit

Yes, but only because I have a law enforcement background.

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laurenacre@reddit

I just know foxtrot

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TinyRodents@reddit

Yes my Grandad got me a coffee mug with it on it, very useful.

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whoops53@reddit

"B for Bumblebee" "M for Monkey" My two stumble letters that I can never remember. Everything else is fine.

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frazamataza@reddit

“N for… Niagara Falls”

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shanobi92@reddit

Absolutely! M for Mancy

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Sawzie1@reddit

I barely know it.. you’re not alone

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Long_Tall_Man@reddit

Dad was police, Grandfather was Royal Corps of Signals, Partner is a firefighter... I've known it since I was about 6 and use it regularly.

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Plasticman328@reddit

If, like me, you've spent most of your life in uniform it just comes naturally. I think it's worth knowing for that one time when you have to make an emergency call.

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tacticall0tion@reddit

I've known it since I was a kid. Mum, and dad both worked in the prison service, and would always use it when on the phone so I passively picked it up.

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theGrimm_vegan@reddit

Yes and it grinds my gears when people say things like S for Sugar or M for Mother

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pippaskipper@reddit

I made myself learn it this year. I had a customer why kept saying v for vulva one time 😂

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cheeselife99@reddit

Yes, because I used to work in a call centre and it eventually became second nature to use. Note: if you work in a call centre and need to ring another call centre, the person you talk to may be EXTREMELY UNFORGIVING if you mess up the phonetic alphabet. Source: someone once hung up on me because I got muddled between M and P, referring to M as 'mama' rather than Mike. Angry sigh, comment of "it's MIKE", phone call ended. Bizarre.

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Kehmor@reddit

P for pterodactyl

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klymers@reddit

Yes, but my dad was a sailor so taught us as kids. Then I was an army cadet. Then I worked in a call centre. And now I work in security. I don't remember not knowing it and I can't imagine not knowing it.

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Losing_Flynn@reddit

Always remember, that while we pronounce a Capital Y as “why”. We do not pronounce the start of Yankee with a “W”. I’ve watched 2 people separately turn deep red when saying “Y for Wanky”

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yestothedress@reddit

My parents are nerds, I was expected to know it by the age of 12. I never used it in my home country but it's very useful here with the postcodes.

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Cleanshirt-buswanker@reddit

I learnt it on a radio course I took for boating.

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_helloalien@reddit

I know it because of work/in case people can’t understand my accent. I think it’s handy, even if you just learn your postcode

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momminpops@reddit

I do. I find it can be useful. My dad liked sailing and I got bored at the boat show one year so learnt the phonetic alphabet off a tea towel on one of the shops for something to do.

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pirateluke@reddit

Yes I use it a lot on the phone for work but i am more causal with it now - used J for Jaffa Cake today. Sometimes when I know the person I will do K for Knight or G for Giraffe just to make a dull call more fun

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princessbergamot@reddit

I was in the Air Training Corps as a teenager so I had to learn it.

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Kayanne1990@reddit

Depends what career you're in. Most jobs I've done required a lot of phone work so this thing was a must.

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EyezOnMakaveli@reddit

I was taught it at a young age, but that's because my old man used to listen into police scanners as a hobby. Came in handy when I worked at a call centre for the bank in later life though.

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MagicBez@reddit

I mostly make up my own as I go. G for Jesus, R for Armour, I for Eyeball etc.

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Pegasus2022@reddit

Yes, ex military still use it if i have to spell something like postcode

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agentorange65@reddit

Yes , after years as an air scout and after 10 years in IT, helps for spelling out passwords etc. Some epic replies from users over the years, H for Hitler was probably the chestnut. Made me wonder if you could do a phonetic alphabet of dictators

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o-roy@reddit

Weirdly I never made an effort to learn it but somehow knew the words?? Found out when I started working at a call center and the right words came out, mustve just picked it up over the years. I did have to Google a couple of the less used letters but it's really not that difficult to learn and remember. Once it's in your head it's there forever, worth doing even if it isn't the most 'useful' thing

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Good_Ad_1386@reddit

Having a surname with an F and an S, plus an email address that has an F and two Ss, I rely upon the phonetic alphabet to convey these reliably in phone calls.

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TomSurman@reddit

Yeah, phone lines suck sometimes, and it's the only way to spell something out unambiguously.

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Avalanc89@reddit

It's military and radio communications thing. I know it because like military things. In Poland we use names (both male and female) when we have problem with communication or we want to be sure there is no mistake. A like Anna, B like Barbara. I think we started do that by watching popular TV show like Wheel of Fortune or something like that.

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DKerriganuk@reddit

Yes. Learnt it in the Air Cadets when we learnt how to use radios.

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Imaginary_Fennel6772@reddit

As an ex mechanic I pretty much had to learn but at the same time I had a thing for kinda realistic shooter games back when. Operation Flashpoint helped learn it as every time you'd command a soldier you'd hear your character say the coordinates and general codes and letters in phonetics. Now while I'm here, can I say a special fuck you to call centre operators that seem to know the entire phonetic alphabet bar one letter. "So is that Victor - X-ray - 5 - 7 - Papa - Zulu - Adam?"

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Trooper_Ted@reddit

Yes, learnt it as part of my ill fated mission to become a helicopter pilot. You'd be surprised how often it comes in useful, especially when speaking on the phone to people for whom English is not their first language, and you have a commonly mispronounced surname etc.

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Lumpy_Flight3088@reddit

I just use celebrity names mostly. Like, ‘A’ for Ariana. ‘B’ for Britney. ‘M’ for Mariah. It gets the job done 😂

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pease_pudding@reddit

I only know Sierra Oscar, from The Bill

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beatrixxkiddo007@reddit

I work in an insurance call centre. I use the military phonetic alphabet as it's universal I once was verifying a gents address and personal information Confirming his address .... there was an i in it and the word associated with the letter i is India. This man was from India and he got very upset and thought I used the word India in a hurtful way. I then explained the phonetic military alphabet .... and then told him that Q was Quebec (we are in canada) for example sir. He then did a google search and realized I was using correct words fir letters lol. Never thought that would happen but it did.

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probablyaythrowaway@reddit

Yes but I’m a pilot and a sailor so use it regularly for radio communication.

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Lizzie-P@reddit

I can never remember, gives my husband a good laugh whenever I try to think of a suitable word!

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Cross_examination@reddit

Just learn it.

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njt1986@reddit

It’s a piece of piss to remember, Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, India, Juliet, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Uniform, Victor, Whiskey, X-Ray, Yankee, Zulu The most common mistake people make is “Indigo” instead of “India”

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RummazKnowsBest@reddit

I probably couldn’t rattle them all off correctly in one go off the top of my head but I do “know” it. Kind of.

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pentangleit@reddit

As an IT guy, it's invaluable when you want a customer to tell you something specific over the phone. We don't necessarily care if you don't know the precise phonetic word to use, just don't blurt out letters without it.

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RegularHovercraft@reddit

Learnt it for sailing. Very useful for clarity sometimes.

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rusty_jams@reddit

I used to know it for work but I've probably forgotten half of it.

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Specific-Sundae2530@reddit

Yes but I forgot S once (Sierra) and said sausage instead. Made the customer laugh at least :)

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Ipoopedinthefridge@reddit

I do but I used to work in the motor trade and trying to say number plates down the telephone to suppliers without it would be a pain.

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RemarkablePatience80@reddit

When I worked in a call centre there was a little laminated printout of it taped to every desk, I probably know it better now just through osmosis than I did then when I had that crutch.

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Ronotrow2@reddit

Was a travel consultant so kindve one of the basics you learn

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DressedInCotton@reddit

Too long working in customer service. I know it without even thinking. I don’t mind if others know when they call, but wish they would use “n for Nigel” say as so many letters sound similar

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Jonny_Dangerous999@reddit

Used to have a job that among other things required telling people car registration numbers over the phone so learned it pretty quickly.

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avspuk@reddit

Ages back there was a bbc radio doc about the creation of the official NATO version. It became a bit of a territorial pissing match (wot! involving multiple militaries?, surely not!), especially over N for November

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rootsyx@reddit

Yes, but only because I worked for a logistics company so I was reeling of ref/postcodes all day over the phone.

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Pukit@reddit

Yes. But worked in the motortrade for a few years. It makes ringing up and passing registrations to people a lot easier.

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bored_toronto@reddit

All those years reading Tom Clancy books and playing military FPS games finally paid off.

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megan99katie@reddit

I learnt it when I worked in the motor trade, much easier for registration plates. I still use it now I've left the trade but still forget some of them way too often.

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Agreeable_Text_36@reddit

Yes, useful in call centres. Works well, if customers listen. I've had some say 'not H, hotel, H for Harry'.

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TheVentiLebowski@reddit

M as in Mancy](https://youtu.be/_4jxLxZrMfs?si=cmzZKSxdG0GZM4Bk).

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Himoshenremastered@reddit

Yes but I misremember V. It's not for Vendetta

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DemonKhal@reddit

I know it because I worked in a call centre and it makes it much less likely to fuck something up. It was important to be very specific as I worked in Car insurance and we would change cars on a policy. One letter wrong someone is getting their car impounded.

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Beginning-Cobbler146@reddit

when I read this I thought you meant the alphabet that you use with children when they learn to speak and went " Ah, Buh, Cuh, Yeah I know it!" looked in comments and I did not.

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CherryPieAppleSauce@reddit

Yes, in the motor trade it's common too however when we have new hires from other industries, none of them know it. So I wouldnt stress, I don't think it matters if you call it Bravo or Biscuit

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ComposerThen6483@reddit

I once worked on the emergency desk fir British gas & in those days the details were given to an engineer over a radio & to ensure they had the correct address etc I used the phonetic alphabet. That was over 25 yrs ago & still use it now

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TheDreamLightDude@reddit

I do. But I'm a former head of security and it was required. I've just always stuck with it now.

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PostLine3202@reddit

No Arthur, The phonetic alphabet for ‘F’ is not ‘Tango’!

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sp4rklesky@reddit

I know it but mainly cos I listen to a lot of Cabin Pressure by John Finnimore

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_Jackk1337@reddit

Yes and I don't know why I do, but I do

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JusRedditNow@reddit

Now this an interesting one. I work in the government and once a customer said F for fanny and I lost all composure, I had to put the person on hold and laugh to myself for a great 5 minutes. Still could not hold it in. 😏

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ShineAtom@reddit

Because my address includes an S and I have or had a bit of a lisp, I always say "S for sugar" so that no-one thinks I've said F. I have no real idea what the NATO alphabet is from A-Z although I recognise some of it when I'm told.

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The_Salty_Red_Head@reddit

I know most of it but not all. The best I ever heard was a friend saying N for Knickers, though. That was amazing. Lol.

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shortfry7@reddit

Yes, used to have to use it in my old job on the headset which linked to the computer

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Tamuff@reddit

I do, but I learned it in Sea Cadets and it finally came in use when I became a Traffic Officer at National Highways.

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jeminar@reddit

Most people can spell their name and email address phonetically.

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Trixtabella@reddit

Yea, but I worked in inbound customer service so it was a requirement lol. Although my fave thing was when people didn't know it and they said things like B for boobs

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CheesyLala@reddit

Yeah I know it A for 'orses B for pork C for yourself etc. Right?

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InnocentPapaya@reddit

Golf echo Romeo tango India

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Speedbird223@reddit

I think I knew it when I was about 8yrs old. Got a book on aviation and learned it then, helped when I learned to fly. The “Wheel of fortune” phonetic alphabet irrationally annoys me…”A is for Apple, B is for boy”

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Few-Entrepreneur-924@reddit

Yes, worked in car insurance. Wasn’t great at it, Y doesn’t stand for Wanky.

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Tlou3please@reddit

Yes but I need to know it for work so 🤷‍♂️

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Uncoordinated_Bird@reddit

Yes. I work with postcodes so it helps!

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LaceAndLavatera@reddit

Used to know someone who worked for Disney and could do the phonetic alphabet with Disney characters.

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moiraroseallday@reddit

I worked in a call centre years ago and we had little signs on our desks with it written out so that’s probably why most people on the phone know it.

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LaceAndLavatera@reddit

I used to have it stuck to my monitor, until I got familiar enough with it I no longer needed it.

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Puzzleheaded_4779@reddit

I learnt it when I worked in a call centre for a roadside assistance company over a decade ago and also used it when working in law firms in the last few years. I also use it whenever I need to gave my postcode out over the phone (it does contain a S and an D though). Best improvisations for the phonetic alphabet I’ve heard have been when it’s someone posh sounding on the phone and then they come out with F for erm, err, for fuck 😂 Followed by apologies

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Uelele115@reddit

I have it printed in my office…

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EyeofAv8@reddit

I have a pilots licence, so yes. But it does always make me laugh at some of the words people use when flustered on the phone and trying to think of the correct word.. “S for errrr spaghetti”

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CharmingRun8606@reddit

Yes. Drummed into me during radio operator training (R. Navy).

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Ambitious-Ad4679@reddit

If you know it and you also have the McDonald's App, and they ask for the order code, 99% of McDonald's staff will be confused with you saying Sierra Kilo 45... I guess you start in McDonald's and then work at a call centre? Personally I think McDonald's should avoid BDP and O on their app order numbers for the sake of their staff sanity. I learned it in the Brownies, it stuck in a way morse code and semaphore never did. Can't say not remembering semaphore has been an issue in the last 40 years.

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slick29789@reddit

I use it all the time

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CartographerFirm1664@reddit

It’s useful if you spend a loooooot of time on the phone for your job because so so often there are shitty lines so it helps stop miscommunication, but if you don’t then I wouldn’t bother

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80878087@reddit

And its india not indigo

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eastkent@reddit

Yes, but I don't know why I know it. I'm just like that - I learn things.

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GrumpyOldFart74@reddit

Yes. Learned it in cadets 35 years ago and once you know it, you know it

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atomic_mermaid@reddit

Yes, was useful when I worked a customer facing role and needed to take information from them.

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Illustrious-Mind2338@reddit

P for Pterodactyl X for Xylophone The postcode for Bristol, UK is Britney Spears

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Square-Employee5539@reddit

I just pull it up on my phone before customer service calls

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joeysupertramp@reddit

I learned it for my job as a travel agent and it stuck with me but since then I moved to Canada and when I'm talking to someone on the phone and I use it, I'm met with 'huh'? So I barely use it anymore.

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thebigfil@reddit

I picked it up gradually having worked predominantly in roles where communication is key. But it's definitely useful in everyday life. Reading WiFi codes out or other finicky stuff.

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Happy-Personality-23@reddit

I know some but whenever it comes to use it I forget and make shit up

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sihasihasi@reddit

Yes. When giving out my postcode / reg number on the phone, I use it. Avoids confusion (which is what it's for)

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tattoowithstars@reddit

Yes, I used to work in a bank call centre. It helps in a emergency situation. I had to call for a fire once and managed to keep it cool with my phonetics when giving out my address.

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MamaCBear@reddit

I do, but I had a foreign maiden name and now I have an unusual surname and have an unusual address. I use it all the time now, makes things much easier.

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j1mgg@reddit

It is funny when people forget it half way through, or people try and spell words thinking they are using it.

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teekay61@reddit

I learned it when I worked in a call centre to make it easier to repeat people's post codes. Can't pretend it's a life-changing skill but equally I've found it useful enough for spelling out car reg plates and postcodes in various situations.

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AnDRoss_GTS@reddit

Certainly worth learning even if you don't use it often. It can save precious time and avoid confusion if you ever need to make a call to the emergency services

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Lavande-et-Lilas@reddit

Yes, I’ve worked in call centres so it was a must

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RafRafRafRaf@reddit

I do know it and use it pretty regularly in normal life. Not a call centre operator or other phone centred job. Just value being able to clearly accurately tell someone my vehicle reg or booking references or whatever. Get my name spelled right. All that.

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No_Rooster7278@reddit

Yeah, as a former stockbroker it was necessary to avoid confusion. I still use it when giving my address / postcode and stuff.

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yabyebyibyobyub@reddit

There is also a filthy phonetic alphabet. Anus breasts Cunt Dick Erotic Fuck Gonads Handjob etc

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johnfc2020@reddit

Since the age of 13 I knew the phonetic alphabet although I did have papa as pap-ar instead of papa-ah for a while. Also the dam busters movie uses the wrong words for their phonetic alphabet: “B for Bertie”. I was recently asked if I was a rozzer because I could speak phonetically so fluently. I wanted to be a radio amateur but messed up one of the papers of the City & Guilds exam because of my ADHD brain and lost confidence, I became a novice in college but have never used it since.

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Forsaken_Leek@reddit

Nope, only started to pick bits up when I needed it for a past job. Always got confused with S Sierra though as I thought it could be Cierra.

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Soldarumi@reddit

I do, but I also like to fuck with receptionists when I'm bored just to lighten the mood a bit. A for aether. P for pterodactyl or psychology. K for knife. W for whole. That kind of thing. Harmless fun. For me anyway, receptionists probably think I'm a bit of a dick.

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Ben_Douglass@reddit

"Fox. Foxface. Foxbox. Foxhat." "It's a type of dance!" "Tango!" "No! The phonetic alphabet for F is not Tango!"

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absolutecretin@reddit

Yes, I always use it when giving my post code to services over the phone

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Mammoth-Temperature3@reddit

C for sea........

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Smooth-Ad4308@reddit

We have to know it for security, over radios and such but when I was doing my security course one guy failed because he said indigo instead of India. Dude was like 50 and it’s not been switched that long

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cbaotl@reddit

When I worked in a call centre sometimes people pick themes when they don’t know the phonetic alphabet. My fav was the guy who picked pizza. P for Pepperoni, H for jalepeno…

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Incubus85@reddit

There was me thinking it was the kids phonetic alphabet. Ah buh curtly kuh

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-Lexxy@reddit

Worked in a call centre so I picked it up The worst example of a customer trying to improvise was a customer who was trying to say T Me: " is that T for Tango or P for Papa?" Customer: "T for Tea"

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AntisocialNortherner@reddit

I know most of it but am constantly having to make letters up if I'm spelling my name over the phone as it's quite unusual. You'd think after all this time I'd know the ones I use most commonly but for the life of me I can never remember Mike for M or November for N and end up saying things like Monster or Nice.

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Kian-Tremayne@reddit

Learned it when I was in the Navy cadets at school, use it fairly regularly in my working life - you tend to want precision when miskeying one letter or number can do anything from sending customer phone calls to the wrong team to deleting the entire customer database.

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RookCrowJackdaw@reddit

Yes I know it and use it on the phone esp for postcode or my surname, which people frequently misspell. I learnt it bc I was doing search and rescue but also for my hearing which is rubbish. When someone is saying a name for example, some letters sound very similar to others. So instead of saying, was that a B or a D, I say, was that B for Bravo or D for Delta and that way I get it right.

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therillard@reddit

I used the phonetic alphabet a lot when I worked for companies which involved reading out a car registration plate. One example from a customer who called in last year about his car warranty actually used “N for N word”, but he actually said the n word. This legitimately happened and it was my first call of the day. I didn’t know how to react so I had to keep the call going.

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Copperpot2208@reddit

Yes because I use it for work

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SelectNegotiation580@reddit

Taught myself at 13 for the fun of it because I had heard a classmate get it so badly wrong when trying to describe something I swore never to be the same.

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LordTurner@reddit

My mom, who's ex police, used to make us read numberplates on long car journeys to keep us occupied as children so it's really hard coded into my brain. I find it really useful for phone calls, etc. And I still like to read numberplates on long car journeys. I anticipate I'll be teaching my daughter it as one of those niche life skills.

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AlternativeSea8247@reddit

Yes, but I'm not 100% sure I know why....?

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KittyGrewAMoustache@reddit

I know it but I have no idea how I know it or when I learnt it. Come to think of it, it’s really strange how I know it. Just somehow picked it up. I think it’s worthwhile especially if you have a name or address with Bs Ss Ps Fs etc in it.

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edcirh@reddit

Yes, from working in a worldwide call-centre. For non-English speakers that struggled with the standard phonetic alphabet, we used country names instead, e.g. "P like Poland"

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Violet351@reddit

Mostly, used to work for a car finance company so we used it on reg numbers

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Rabid_Tanuki@reddit

I do, but never remember it when I need it so always end up blurting something profoundly stupid like "M as in.... Mancy?"

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AwkwardBugger@reddit

I hate it. Every time someone uses it with me, I have such a hard time understanding what they’re saying. Though that’s partially because they also tend to talk too damn fast

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Keycuk@reddit

Yankee, Echo, Sierra

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FilmFanatic1066@reddit

Yeah I use it all the time on work calls for reference numbers

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SamboKendog@reddit

I always find it useful to know. The best way to practice is once you have a basic memory of it, is to test yourself when you’re driving. Look at the number plates and recite the letters back to yourself in the phonetic alphabet.

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ConstantNaive7649@reddit

My nose is perpetually stuffy, so I often have a hard time being distinct between t and d, M and n and so forth, so I made a habit of using the phonetic alphabet - I find it convenient to have agreed upon words that can be recognised as doing the job without having to say "a for..." etc, and to save that little bit of time mahjong sure you're not going to end up with "wait, is that T for Tom or D for Dom?"

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Alarmed_Lunch3215@reddit

I do in theory, in practice I get flustered and pull out any word I fancy. Often I find the more whimsical words get a laugh from the call centre guys so why not make shizzle more entertaining for one and all!

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liquid_profane@reddit

yep, although sometimes in the moment I will brain fart and not use the proper word for a certain letter.

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Ashamed_North348@reddit

I know my postcode using it, it makes it easier to be understood x

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m1nkeh@reddit

Yes, and my wife laughs at me every single time i use it - apparently it is not normal.. 😔

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Particular-Army-7180@reddit

I used to work on phones, I always use it. My dad was ex-army and taught it to me as a kid. It really should be well known, it's very useful for spelling out things like postcodes even IRL. I did Latin at school and sometimes I mistake parts of it for Latin, beta instead of bravo...

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bikky73@reddit

Yes, Aunt Betty Colin Dave Embolism Farquhart Goldstein

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DaughterWifeMum@reddit

I don't know the exact alphabet, but I got into the habit of using it for postal codes at one of my call center jobs. So, while it shouldn't be Henry or Thomas, it does still work, and for me, that is the main thing.

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Pedal_bin@reddit

Ex-police. Yes.

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jessikatnip7@reddit

Yes, my parents taught me - they learned it for ham radio

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Dazzling_Ad5338@reddit

It's not really useful unless your say, a pilot or something. Also, police use it over radio to minimize mistakes being heard. I personally do know the phonetic alphabet, I just don't really know why I know it. I've not studied it or even tried to learn it. Just one of them things I must have picked up.

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storyhiss@reddit

I learned it when I was in Guides. Since then it has been useful for a job where I had to occasionally ask for vehicle registration numbers, and it crops up on pub quizzes every now and again.

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Kitchen_Part_882@reddit

I do, and find it weird that others don't. One of the helpdesk ops where I works finds it amusing when I'm reading part numbers or postcodes out to her over the phone (I don't need to pause in-between letters to remember them). I also use "niner" on occasion instead of "nine" because of prior wireless op training many years ago.

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Maximum_Donut5948@reddit

I never knew it off by heart until a few years ago when I picked up a job in a call centre, we had to learn it as part of our training to help communicate with customers when placing orders. Any time before that though I was completely clueless and just made up random words 😂

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Zathral@reddit

Sort of useful knowledge when you fly gliders.

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RF27182@reddit

Yes of course. G for gnome, P for Pneumonia

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veryblocky@reddit

It’s just something I’ve picked up over the years, I know it all

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Odysseus_is_Ulysses@reddit

Yup. Learnt it in cadets when I was 14. Never forgot it.

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kesselbang@reddit

Yes.. I learned it and used it in two previous jobs. It comes in handy when having to give details over the phone, especially because my surname seems to confuse other people

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geekysocks@reddit

I know it and use it daily.. Funny thing is when you know it and someone uses the wrong words it completely bricks me..

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Intelligent_Bee6588@reddit

Did a communications badge in scouts as a kid that required spelling my name with the phonetic alphabet and it's been stuck in my head ever since.

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neenoonee@reddit

I take phone calls from customers and I can probably wing it. Saying “Is it F for Freddie or S for Sugar?” is miles better than, “F for Foxtrot or S for Sierra?”. I do love it when customers try themselves though. A colleague once had a customer use P for Panther and then went to her, “is that correct? I’ve never used the phonetic alphabet before” “I think it’s actually Papa for P, but…” “NO ITS PANTHER FOR P”

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Minimum-Perception72@reddit

As a foreigner with an accent, I find it useful to spell my Postcode, vehicle reg and other confusing words, specially over the phone

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indecisivewitch4@reddit

Made up my own- f for Freddie and h- for Harry . Then I hear my husband saying the right ones 🙄

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sphericalhorses@reddit

Yankee Alpha Sierra India Delta Oscar

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clashvalley@reddit

Yes (was in air cadets)

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ConsciouslyIncomplet@reddit

Yes - but it is essential for my job.

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irritating_reader@reddit

I was on a particularly long customer service call a couple of years ago and decided to learn it after saying some embarrassing alternatives!

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Sea_Page5878@reddit

Yes but I served in the Territorial Army and that's where I learnt to use it.

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LaraH39@reddit

Yes. I learned it when I was about 15 (no idea why) and it's always been really useful.

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motific@reddit

Yes, when you have to spell things out it just makes life so easy. I was in a car park the other day and the "clever" ANPR payment system read my plate on the way in but wouldn't on the way out... the control room had to look up my plate, phonetic alphabet over a crappy intercom system and they had it first time, job done.

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RidethatSeahorse@reddit

We use it on radios at work. Often hear Whiskey Tango Foxtrot… *John*

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External-Book-3698@reddit

Yes. My husband and I learnt it on a. Long car journey to Wales one time because we had recently been making dozens of phone calls (we had had a break in, then they came back when they knew my husband was out and I was home alone, so left) so police/insurance/estate agents/anywhere official to change address with and we towered feeling pretty stupid going 'errrr E for elbow?' And such forth

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ww82@reddit

F for phart.

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Lower_Possession_697@reddit

Yankee Echo Sierra

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Collymonster@reddit

Yes although I use metro instead of Mike (I think metro is the US one)

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gegorb@reddit

I used it for 30,years. Is it still,I for India

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bovinedepression@reddit

Yep. I worked on MOD contracts for years with ex forces guys so it gout used quite a bit. Not I find it handy to spell out things on the phone as some people have trouble understanding my accent.

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WerewolfNo890@reddit

I know most of it although might take a moment to think first. I used to know it better when I had to use it for work more frequently. Then in another job many years later after not using it for a long time I was asked to use it on the phone for some 50 character long code, kept worrying I was going to hit a letter I couldn't remember but did somewhat slowly manage to get through it. Pretended to read slowly to ensure the other person got it correct, was mostly because I had to try and remember it.

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Kerrican1@reddit

I have no idea why I know it or when I learned it , I've never worked in a call centre and at the ripe age of 50 I've just started a new job where its actually needed.

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Curvi-distraction@reddit

Yes, may be working with the military for 22 years….same as I always use 24 hr references for time-no chance of confusion !

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user1983x@reddit

I hate it when people use phonetic alphabet. It confuses me because when they say, for example, P for Papa, I focus not just on P but other sounds/letters too. I just can’t help it. I prefer when people use it only when you really struggle to understand/hear the letter.

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david4460@reddit

I’m a cop so I use it pretty much every day. There’s no embarrassment like it however when you’re giving a reg plate over the radio you know dozens of people are listening to and saying, ‘err… penguin’

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No_Improvement2317@reddit

Yes, I learned it in the Brownies and it's stuck with me ever since.

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jacksawild@reddit

The weird thing is that I learned it without trying to, it just went in somehow.

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_alextech_@reddit

Yes, all the way through. It's useful if you work in any profession where you need to take details accurately over the phone. And saying s for sugar is unforgivable lol

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ShiroHagan@reddit

Yankee Echo Sierra 😏

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HonkersTim@reddit

For my whole life I only heard it in films, then suddenly around 20 years ago I started hearing it at work. I know like 5 letters lol.

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whostolemycatwasitu@reddit

Yes, I know it. I learned it a while ago for something to do, but my job now uses it every now and then.

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RIPv4_0@reddit

Yes but I did comms in the Army, so kinda needed to know it.

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Effective-Ad-6460@reddit

L for ligma

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henrycharleschester@reddit

Yes, I assumed everyone did, just like the regular alphabet 🤷‍♀️

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Effective-Ad-6460@reddit

Yeah ... though im not sure how i know it ... I have no military or police background. Just know it

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Cakeboy79@reddit

I use it every day at work, but I’m an air traffic controller so it’s somewhat of a requirement.

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sirgreyskull@reddit

I do. I also know how to tell the time from a 24h analogue clock.

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kylehyde84@reddit

Yes, I'm a railway worker

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doctorgibson@reddit

Yes it's really useful when you need to give your postcode over the phone, or just to flex

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aghzombies@reddit

Yes. I worked customer service for ages.

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SilasMarner77@reddit

I learned it by rote in the cadets and it has served me well ever since... in various call centre jobs!

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Dingleator@reddit

I do

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melijoray@reddit

I used to work answering emergency calls from vulnerable people with panic buttons. Then I would have to speak with emergency services and quickly pass information about an elderly person who had fallen, or a domestic abuse surviver whose ex partner was at the property. Things like names, postcodes, medication etc had to be accurate.

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Define-Normal@reddit

Sort of, but often find myself saying something along the line of "D for.....dinosaur!"

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SomeRando_OnTheNet@reddit

Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, India, Juliet, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Uniform, Victor, Whiskey, Xray, Yankee, Zulu. I worked in a bunch of call centres. I customer once yelled at me to shut up with my army speak, I was just confirming their postcode. 🤣

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DevilDance2@reddit

Yes. Studied linguistics at uni

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Shoes__Buttback@reddit

I know the NATO phonetic from former work requirements, but find it far funnier to say 'P' as in 'psychology' or something like that. I'm a funghi to be around.

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gsur72@reddit

Yep, although used to speak to Police regularly for work so was necessary.

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banxy85@reddit

Yeah of course people in call centres will know it better than you. Just do M for mother or whatever. It doesn't have to be the proper thing as long as its recognisable. B for ball, L for labia. You get the idea.

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ViKtorMeldrew@reddit

И for Ivan - you have more of the cipher comrade?

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_dmdb_@reddit

Yes, but I hold FRTOL (aircraft radio license) and VHF (marine radio) licenses so it's a requirement of both of those. It can be useful on the phone but unless you hold a radio license it doesn't really feel like a thing you would need.

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tskir@reddit

Yes, I know all of it. It took me probably 30 minutes to learn (spread across a few days — I used Anki spaced repetition to do it), and it's massively helpful whenever I need to spell anything

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DNBassist89@reddit

I worked in a call centre for a year when I was 18 so it was pretty much compulsory and I've just never really had to use it since but I've never forgotten it either.

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Imaginary_Switch1215@reddit

I thought you meant the International Phonetic Alphabet which is used for transcribing the sounds of all the languages in the world. **That** I use all the time because I'm a language teacher. What you mean is the Spelling Alphabet (Yes, I know it's also called the Phonetic alphabet, and that just irritates me, but what can *I* do?) There are literally just 26 words to learn. It'll take you an hour. An afternoon if you're a slow learner. Oscar Kilo?

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Nuker-79@reddit

Time to Foxtrot Oscar

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EquivalentMission916@reddit

Yes I do and yes....yes you are

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CaptainMcClutch@reddit

Yes, although I was in the Navy and they taught it in basic training when I went through.

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mymumsaysno@reddit

I know it from when I worked on phones, but a lot of my colleagues didn't and would just use whatever words came to mind.

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zedthegreat43@reddit

Q is for cucumber.

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MrDemotivator17@reddit

I’m an air traffic controller so use it every day… my wife makes silly ones up whenever she’s on the phone because she knows it irritates me.

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Financial-Glass5693@reddit

Yankee echo sierra. But I’m ex army, ex emergency services and ex scout leader. (I’m also an ex boy friend, ex house mate and ex boxer, but that doesn’t seem relevant here)

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joops23@reddit

Yep, and I use 24 hour clock but I worked in the travel industry for 15yrs

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ReplicatedSun@reddit

I know enough of it for when I need to do post code or number plate over the phone, I probably know all of it if I think hard enough but I don't use it alot in my everyday life.

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El_Zilcho@reddit

Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo Yankee Oscar Uniform

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helpnxt@reddit

11 10

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slostoooooo@reddit

Yes - I’m on phones a lot as part of my job and people come up with the weirdest shit if they don’t know it

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This_Rom_Bites@reddit

Yes; I picked it up in my teens. I've never worked in a call centre byt it's been useful in every job I've had.

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ChiefTittyInspector@reddit

I know it but I worked in Tech Support where reading out long passwords/serial codes was common.

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Dramatic-Growth1335@reddit

Yes. On the phone a lot

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aaeme@reddit

Yes but I did try to come up with an as-confusing-as-possible phonetic alphabet. This kind of thing: Aegis. Bird. Cyst. Den. Eiderdown. Fire. Gnome. Herd. Io. Jalapeno. Know. Lyre. Mnemonic. No. Oedipus. Ptarmigan. Qué? Regina. Scythe. Tea. Umm. Vagina. Write. Xanadu. Yttrium. Zen.

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Welshbuilder67@reddit

Yankee echo sierra

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Baslifico@reddit

It's handy to know when you've got a bad line/connection or someone who fails to understand. Also helps with strong accents. Chalk it up as a useful life skill.

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mynameisnotthom@reddit

Yep, from work. I've since used it to get people to confirm their postcode or the spelling of their name when working in a call centre only to have people say stuff like "Why you saying it like that? It's well confusing" Maybe they're still at the 'a is for apple' stage

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RaedwaldRex@reddit

I do, but depending on whether I'm feeling mischievous or not or the person on the other end is being a bit of a knob ill change some letters round. Good examples are Instead of Golf for G use Gnome Instead of Kilo for K use Knife Instead of Mike for M use Mnemonic And for P Instead of Papa us Psychiatrist or Pscittacine

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McNamee93SAFC@reddit

To add to the pattern occurring here, why not use Pneumonia?

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RaedwaldRex@reddit

Because for some reason that word didn't even register with me. But it will from now on, thank you.

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Future_Direction5174@reddit

I couldn’t remember what “B” was once so I said “B for Bunny”. I earnt the nickname Bunny for that.

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SavingsSquare2649@reddit

Yeah but only because my partner had to know it for her job and so I’d randomly test her. Eventually picked it up myself. It is useful sometimes, especially when talking on the phone to someone with a different accent as they may not quite be able to tell what you’re saying.

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R_S_Candle@reddit

It's fairly common, you've also reminded me of the time I was in training for a new job at a call centre. Guy I was shadowing clearly didn't care and was on the way out the door, confirming back to a customer 'is that B fo Bum-fuck?' It was not...

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Matttthhhhhhhhhhh@reddit

Funnily enough, I was just on the phone with some support staff and she used it. I tried to and failed pathetically. So I can safely say I don't know the phonetic alphabet.

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Ok-Palpitation-5380@reddit

A for Arsehole

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lolatiffanyjones@reddit

Yes I talk on the phone to customers and it’s important to be able to spell things out correctly. It kind of winds me up when people don’t know it and say things like “s for sugar” “n for night”

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Slippytoad_ribrib@reddit

Dad is a licensed radio amateur and has drummed this kind of thing into me since I was a kid Actually quite useful at times!

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banisheduser@reddit

Yes. Fun fact, they're those words because watch one doesn't sound or rhyme with any other so it's quite hard to mistake any letters you're trying to say.

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smg658@reddit

I do know it but put on the spot I forget my own bloody name. I once said ‘b for bandage’

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tcpukl@reddit

Lol, I just make up words for the letters. It makes them laugh in the calendar sometimes.

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ProfessorYaffle1@reddit

I think a lot of people know at least some of it, and people are more likely to know the parts that are relevant to them - for instance, their own postcode / card registration number / name or surname name if it is unusual or has an uncommon spelling.

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Rasty_lv@reddit

Partially. I know for my car numberplate, home post code and some of well know ones.

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thumbdumping@reddit

G for gnome and P for phone. That's all I remember

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NaniFarRoad@reddit

Learn how to phonetically spell your postcode, your first name and surname, then practice that. The rest will come quickly once you can think of your own name like that. Note: the number 9 is meant to be read "ni-ner", not "nine".

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Duke_Rabbacio@reddit

Yes. I'm an air traffic controller so use it daily at work, but I knew it before too.

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Pieboy8@reddit

I know it well... Had a customer trying when trying to arrange the repatriation of a body back to the UK use "N for Knife"

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Vengeanceneverfree@reddit

I had to learn it while I was training to become a train driver. It was really useful, the radios can be terrible so it's hard to understand what the other person is saying.

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ArcTan_Pete@reddit

I use it. If I have to take a location code or port number over the phone, it is useful, and most engineers that I know use it however, if a user calls and says 'S for Sugar, T for Tanktop ' instead of 'Sierra Tango' I can work with that. and at least I know they are not trying to describe location code SD or SC

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TheMalsh@reddit

I know it, but occasionally forget a letter so just make up a word. It's funny hearing my friends do it and just throw out the most obscure word though.

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MrLore@reddit

Mancy

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Gone_For_Lunch@reddit

Dammit Archer!

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PussInShrooms@reddit

Pterodactyl

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British_guy83@reddit

Yep. I know it. I Worked in a profession where I needed to use Radio's. The signal was bad and it was terrible to communicate through clearly, so at times, we had to spell things out using NATO alphabet. It's definitely handy to learn.

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Mysterious_Ad_3119@reddit

I used to work in call centres and had to use it otherwise my calls would be marked down when quality monitoring. It’s really useful in providing a consistent what of sharing letters, especially when some can be misheard. I have regularly been asked if I’m in the police though when using it outside work.

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daftsquirrel@reddit

I know the phonetic alphabet. My manager doesn't understand me at all if I use it near her.

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Shot-Ad4288@reddit

Yes I do - have worked with police a lot and needed to know it for comms over the phone

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trainpk85@reddit

I know most of it but whenever I am spelling my name I always say K for Kirsty which must really piss the person on the other end off but I just can’t help it.

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Smeeble09@reddit

Didn't know it, worked in retail and had to use the phone a lot, learnt it just by needing to when getting postcodes or alike. Now it's just part of my knowledge, don't think about it. So long as you can give a word that doesn't sound like another word, and starts with the letter you need it's all good, I quite liked hearing people's random ones. Throwing in the odd X for Xylophone is always fun too.

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HarryPloppper@reddit

XyLoPhONe

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theroundaboutzoo@reddit

November Oscar

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TheLittleSquire@reddit

If you've ever worked in a call centre, it's burned into your brain.

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Emilyx33x@reddit

Yeah, been flying for a few years so it’s second nature now

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iwanttobeyrcanary@reddit

It’s all good learning the phonetic alphabet until you say “Y for wankee”

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_hsquared@reddit

Yeah, always default to it for postcodes, vehicle reg etc. Its just easier than the “was that M or N? M. N? No M!” Malarkey.

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LordTubz@reddit

Yes, I learnt it as a radio operator in the Air cadets, and use it constantly when talking to call centre workers.

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cocoaqueen@reddit

Yes. Because I spent four years working in a call centre and it was part of our training.

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jamesymichael@reddit

My Dad was a pilot so I've known it since I was a wee boy! I feel like people on the other end of the phone take you more seriously if you use it too.

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ghost1016@reddit

Yep learnt it from playing call of duty when I was younger. Came in super helpful later in life when working in a call centre.

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AscendantDragon19@reddit

Not one bit. i just make it up, D for donkey, H for hippo, X for xylophone...

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InviteAromatic6124@reddit

I do, I learned it from a VHF radio course I did as part of training for a former job of mine. It's come in super handy when trying to spell my name over the phone as my name is not English and is difficult for people to spell correctly.

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daza666@reddit

Yes, I’ve worked a couple of jobs where I’ve been on the phone a lot so it’s helpful. A lot of people just make it up though which is less helpful.

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Ok_Cow_3431@reddit

spent a couple of years working in call centres so came to learn it that way. It's very useful but I do feel like a bit of a knob using it.

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Cattlemutilation141@reddit

I recently had a customer use the term K ummm for Ketamine 🤣

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NDita@reddit

Learned it at 18 when I got my first office job, always committed it to memory. It’s actually been useful a lot of times in my life, especially as I have to spell my name out a lot (Irish name, lots of folk don’t automatically get it right). Like others have said, the ‘S for sugar’ ‘M for mother’ group really need to learn the real phonetic alphabet. It’s set like that for a reason so there’s no ambiguity or confusion, making your own up just defeats the object.

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Honest-Bridge-7278@reddit

I used to work for a couple of banks, so I had to learn it.

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Re-ac@reddit

Yep, I was taught as a kid in the fire brigade cadet scheme. We would go out in the fire engines (with a driver obviously!) and drive to some place, and the kids back at the station on the radio would give us directions to another place, and we would go around looking for "fires" and then return to base on a timer. It was immense fun and came in handy when I had a call centre temp job after leaving uni.

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8Ace8Ace@reddit

Charlie Tango Teakettle Barbeque

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Warm-Cartographer954@reddit

Both of my parents were working aviation, and it was drummed into my sister and I by the time we were 6 years old. That and airport letter codes. I find I use it all the time and it drives me up the wall when people get it wrong

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Total_Inflation_7898@reddit

I know some but make up the rest if I need to spell over the phone. I worked with an ex navy nurse who could be heard laughing as I said "Tesco" "Rabbit"etc

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PomeloSad753@reddit

Yes, I once worked for an airline call centre and it was required.

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PanzerPi@reddit

Yes, however this is due to a breif stint as a soldier. It's usefull when I need to contact IT at work.

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tobotic@reddit

Yes. I used to be an IT manager for a charity and needed to do a lot of buying of things like computers, phones, networking equipment, etc over the phone. Reading out parts numbers, it's very useful to use the phonetic alphabet.  >just thinking of a word on the spot That's generally a bad idea. Alice: "M for moon". Bob: "Okay, so that's N for noon?"

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Craakar@reddit

I just wanted to learn it for no significant reason, so for a couple of months I downloaded a picture of it and set it as my phones home/lock screen and it kind of just subconsciously became absorbed.

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RagingFuckNuggets@reddit

Yes, but always end up saying unicorn instead of uniform then cringe for the rest of the day.

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marquoth_@reddit

I do but only because I needed to learn it for work. As a student I had a job in an Argos warehouse. The stock management system is voice operated so you spend all day talking into a headset and telling it you've put item ABC123 on shelf D4.

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BoringOfficeJob@reddit

The good old days.

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iamdeeproy@reddit

Yes. It comes in useful as parts of my address have similar sounding letters and I have regional accent so it's not always clear to other people wtf I'm saying. Things like 's for sugar' and 'n for Norman' just remind me of the contestants on wheel of fortune.

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BoringOfficeJob@reddit

I worked in Argos, it'll be very much ingrained within me forever.

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Treadonmydreams@reddit

Yes, though I always seem to say unicorn instead of uniform. Like many others I learned it when I worked in a call centre.

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squigs@reddit

It doesn't take long to pick it up if you use it a lot. There are only 26 letters to learn and most people already know a few of them. I know the ones for my name and postcode.

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gaelenski_@reddit

Yes, had to learn it because I worked in a jewellers and we use it when referring to ring sizes for suppliers and workshops.

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Ok_Scientist_987@reddit

Yes, but ham radio operator. Get slightly annoyed when people confidently use the wrong words and correct me, but I'm a ham radio operator, we're meant to be slightly annoyed all the time.

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Apprehensive_Bus_543@reddit

Morse code would work just as well with some call centres.

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Forgetful8nine@reddit

My mum taught the NATO phonetic alphabet to both my sister and I. There was a reason, but I can't remember it lol Then, as a sea cadet, I was taught it again. And now, I'm a merchant seaman - so, again, I was taught during my training (along with morse code, which I'm a bit rusty on...3 dits, 4 dits, 2 dits, dah) Most people seem to know a good chuck of the phonetic alphabet. 99.9% of people understand it when they hear it. I've only met a couple of people who didn't.

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v60qf@reddit

Yes, once encountered someone who was discussing answers to a multiple choice test using ‘b for bog’, ‘c for cog’, and ‘d for dog’. Went on for a good 5 minutes.

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FuyoBC@reddit

Yes, and used to have a print out next to my desk. I used to talk to a lot of international people and with accents it can be difficult to understand each other - this goes both ways!

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Sirano_onariS@reddit

Yup, I’ve always found it useful especially for giving postcodes over the phone

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Strong_Roll5639@reddit

Yep, years of call centre work in my early 20s.

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ExcitementKooky418@reddit

I've had to learn it for a couple of different jobs. The point of it, and the reason call centre and similar jobs use it is because some letters sound very similar, especially over a phone line if it isn't very clear, so you use the phonetic alphabet to confirm that you've heard the correct spelling of words. It might seem like a minor thing if you spell someone's name slightly wrong even their address, although it will make you look unprofessional, but it is very important for some data fields e.g. email address, postcode, national insurance number and potentially other unique identifiers such as an account number or case reference number I believe there are a few different versions and I don't think it's super common to know it all if you don't need to use it

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Toninho7@reddit

I had someone say “Q for cucumber” once… we both just paused and then thankfully they started laughing before I did… 😁

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Affectionate-Boot-12@reddit

Yep, easy! A for Apple. B for Bed. C for Cat. D for Dog. E for Elephant. F for Fish. G for Girl. H for House. I for India. J for Jug. K for Keyring. L for Lemon. M for Mum. N for No. O for Octopus. P for Popcorn. Q for Queen. R for Rabbit. S for Sugar. T for Tetris. U for Umbrella. V for Victor. W for Whiskey. X for X-ray. Y for Yellow. Z for Zebra. I work on the phones and these are just a few I can think of that have been used by customers.

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fishface-1977@reddit

It’s very helpful. A and e can sound similar for example depending on accent and on phone calls, t, c, d, p and b can all sound similar. In particular for people with hearing loss (which is many people, especially age related) then this makes things like post codes clear beyond doubt.

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TeenyIzeze@reddit

I do. My aunt had to learn it at the age of 62 because her partner has a dive charter boat, and when speaking on the VHF, P for pelican and B for bonkers just wasn't cutting it.

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Crochet-panther@reddit

For some reason I learned it as a kid, then worked at an airport where it was helpful and now in housing where postcodes and stuff are made so much easier

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vikkimoo@reddit

Used to but only from working in a call centre.

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Remarkable_Rough204@reddit

I think anyone who ever worked in customer services probably knows it, I did over 20 years ago and still know it all 😅

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Phillington248@reddit

I’ve had to use radios in the past, so I learned it from that. It also does make a difference if talking to emergency services or trying to communicate when there’s a lot of background noise. I’ve found it useful, but if I didn’t know it I’m sure I’d get by just fine 🤷‍♂️

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keep_giving_up@reddit

I make it up. Q for Queen, P for Prince was my go to around the whole Queen dying thing. D for Donald, N for Noddy. As long as you get a word that starts with the right letter, I don’t really think it matters. I’m going to try and learn it, but I won’t be dedicating too much time to it

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jonathing@reddit

I can usually remember it as I go along, but sometimes I just make it up. I usually try to make the last letter something ridiculous. Delta, Yankee, 8, 3, Bravo, Archaeopteryx

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marastruck@reddit

Call center. Picked it up within five days like a child learning a second language. But less impressive lol And yeah, I think we all crap out on certain letters. T for... Tea? is a personal horrible habit

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ShuaigeTiger@reddit

Yes. I did work in a contact centre for four years but I learned it in the air cadet corp

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I_ALWAYS_UPVOTE_CATS@reddit

Yes, but I prefer the one that includes 'gnome', 'knife', 'mnemonic', 'pterodactyl', and 'xylophone'.

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LondonParamedic@reddit

It's used extensively in the emergency services for radio communication so me and all my colleagues have to know it.

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Sudden_Hovercraft_56@reddit

I know it off by heard but I never made any effort to learn it. It's just one of those things I picked up and it stuck,

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EightThreeEight838@reddit

Yep. Very handy for clear communication.

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karlware@reddit

I try but i can't always think fast and mess it up. 'Er yeah Z for Xylophone, P for Pneumatic, S for Espresso' etc.

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ww82@reddit

If you're in Scotland, J for giro.

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IAM_THE_LIZARD_QUEEN@reddit

For some reason we had a poster of it (along with semaphore) in my house when I was a kid, so I learned it just out of boredom once. Has definitely come in handy later in life though.

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windol1@reddit

Yes. Went to the Devon County Show with the school years back, as usual the army was there showing off everything and you could also sign up for a magazine called "Camouflage". In one issue they put the entire phonetic alphabet in there and I just learnt it by revising it several times, don't get me wrong I'll sometimes forget 1 or 2 as I've got older or maybe mix it up with the other version.

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maddinell@reddit

You don't necessarily but you sound a bit of a tit when you say b as in balloon or w as in window

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bunksy93@reddit

I know the majority of it but not everyone does. One of my friends used to be a 999 call handler and she's had people be like W for wanker and C for cunt before 😂

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Goseki1@reddit

Yeah, but my Dad was in the army and I worked in one of the stores there for years so had to use it all the time. I reckon there will be loads of folk under 30 who don't know it.

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SadisticTeddy@reddit

I use it pretty extensively, I have to make a lot of phone calls and it's useful for communicating across accent barriers or with people who don't speak English as their first language.

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mycatiscalledFrodo@reddit

Yes, but it's been part of my job for 20 years, I work in logistics so number plates & postcodes over the phone or in a busy office need to be clear. I used to do an obscene version with some of my driver's in a previous job cause I was in the office on my own, that was fun

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jilljd38@reddit

Yes from way back when I was in air cadets but also worked in 2 bank call centres and for another bank

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downlau@reddit

I do, have worked in a call centre or three though.

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UnderCover428@reddit

Yankee Echo Sierra

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DixieCrush@reddit

Yes, and it’s really useful in spelling out email addresses or car registrations. Also, telling people to Foxtrot Oscar.

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plsbeafreeusername@reddit

Yes, from childhood SAS obsession.

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uitSCHOT@reddit

I use it a lot. I learned it thanks to my dad who was an airline pilot and as a kid I thought it was cool. Now I need it because I have a slightly annoyingly long E-mailaddress, or just to spell my unusual name (first and last).

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Hot-Ship-4582@reddit

Had to learn it for a previous job, but have actually found it VERY useful in everyday life!

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Particular-Ad-6663@reddit

I taught myself the phonetic alphabet as a child because my father, at the time, used both CB and was a keen Radio Ham. Both of which you needed licences for. I was going to take the test that allows you to use Ham Radio and learning the alphabet was part of the build up to it, as was Morse code. I'm 50 now, I still use the alphabet and still know a fair bit of morse. I also, at the time, learned the sign language alphabet, just because I could, and can still do that too although my aim is to learn to converse one day. These life skills (maybe not morse) are useful and perhaps could mean the difference between a few seconds that potentially could save a life? Maybe it'll be used, maybe not. But I'd rather know it and not need it, than need it and not know it.

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Awkward_Chain_7839@reddit

Having a Welsh first name and an unusual maiden name I spent most of my teens spelling my names to companies over the phone. The phonetic alphabet helped a lot!

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konnekting@reddit (OP)

Can only blame your parents for calling you Awkward.

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Inquisitor1001@reddit

Yep, got so used to using it at work that it's probably stuck in my brain forever. It's fine that people don't know it, though, as long as if a customer representative says something like 'is that B for bravo or P for papa' you can confirm which letter you mean since some letters sound very similar over the phone.

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essexeasy@reddit

Yeah I learned it in the merchant navy many years ago and it’s living rent free in my head.

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Open_Caterpillar2766@reddit

Haha no, I just say the first thing that comes to my head, like A for apple, or S for snake

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trichishvili@reddit

Yes, I use it at work

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BeanOnAJourney@reddit

Yes I know it, I find it indispensable when spelling things over the phone.

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griffaliff@reddit

Yep, all of it, learnt it when I was a teenager at air cadets.

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robertodurian@reddit

Negatory good buddy

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delqhic@reddit

Used to know it when I worked in a call centre, but that was around nine years ago and I worked there for less than a year. Retained it for a while after but I’ve now forgotten some - think I can get to M without any errors, but from there onwards it’s a gamble.

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fergie_89@reddit

I learnt it when I was 18 doing a business admin apprenticeship. Still use it as my name is ridiculously long and spelt weird.

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JBEqualizer@reddit

Yep. I learned it while working in a call centre. Even then, they got some of them wrong, so I corrected them myself for me to use. My wife often uses it now, too, and she learned it from me using it to spell things over the phone in the days before everything could be done online.

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Chrissyfly@reddit

I know it, but will often forget the word used for a letter halfway through spelling it out and have to get creative.

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Urbanyeti0@reddit

If you have an unusual name then you tend to learn the phonetics of that first, then expand to the rest. It’s also used in a lot of shows / movies so you just get used to it It’s only 26 things to learn

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Jimathay@reddit

Took me a couple of days to learn it as a kid. Always found it useful from then-on. Even if it's usefulness is just to ensure I get a less painful and quicker resolution in customer service interactions - something as simple as spelling my surname - I think knowing it has been super worth it. In fact, just last week I had to phone a hotel in the USA, because they'd messed up my payment and I needed to request an invoice from them. Crummy-ish phone line etc - knowing the NATO alphabet made an already painful task far, far easier.

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Breegoose@reddit

Yes, but occasionally my brain will shut down and ill just confidently say the first thing that cones to mind

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CaptLlamaPants@reddit

I know it , i had a limited knowledge of it before i worked in the insurance industry and i had to learn it in full to use on a daily basis when i started working for them.

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