FAQs

Maybe you have some of these questions too.

1. What is Forvo?

Forvo is the largest pronunciation reference online. Our goal is to compile native speaker pronunciations for all the words that exist in the world, including names. We also compile phrases in each of the languages available in our web.

2. What do you mean by "all the words in the world"?

We mean that almost every word is allowed - including expletives, provided that the words are politely pronounced and appear in well-known dictionaries. Pronunciations that are unnecessarily emotive will be removed. In addition, onomatopoeias, made-up words, and words exceeding 40 characters are not allowed as words on Forvo.

More info about adding words.

3. There is something wrong with a word or pronunciation on Forvo. What can I do?

If you find a word on Forvo that is misspelled, mispronounced, or inappropriate, please tell us by reporting the word through the "report word" link on the right sidebar of the word page. Please be specific about the problem so that we can resolve it as soon as possible.

4. A word or pronunciation that I have added has been removed. Why?

Forvo reserves the right to remove any content on its site. Some common reasons that words or pronunciations are removed are that the word or pronunciation is non-native, the word is misspelled, or the pronunciation is inappropriate or mispronounced. Please reference our guidelines.

5. In my country "that word" is pronounced differently

Forvo supports multiple pronunciations for the same word. We want users learning a language to be able to hear pronunciations from different places. If you do not hear a word in your language pronounced with your accent, please add your own pronunciation to Forvo!

6. What about words with more than one pronunciation?

Although it doesn’t happen in some languages, like Spanish, it is possible to find words with different pronunciations depending on grammatical category, like in English. In these cases, just pronounce the word in the correct version you prefer.

7. Who can add words and record pronunciations on Forvo??

Only registered users can add words and record pronunciations. When you register, please select your gender and your country and region of origin. This way other users will know where your accent is from.

8. Is there a guide for recordings?

Yes. You can read it here.

9. What about uploading MP3 files with my own pronunciations?

Although the quality of pronunciations would be higher, we cannot offer this feature due to legal requirements, since we do not really know who the owner of the MP3 is.

10. Please add "XXX language"

We would like to help preserve your language by adding it to Forvo. While we wish could host every language, we prioritize languages which have a documented ISO code, and for which we have a minimum number of pronunciations. So, if you are a native speaker of the language you want to see on Forvo, and/or know others that could help contribute, please let us know!

Additionally, your language may already be on Forvo – please check our list here.