In phonetics, a triphthong is a monosyllabic vowel combination usually involving a quick but smooth movement from one vowel to another that passes over a third one. While "pure" vowels, or monophthongs, are said to have one target tongue position, triphthongs have a moving tongue.

Triphthongs stressed on the second element in Spanish:

• [] as in buey
• [waj] as in Uruguay

Triphthongs stressed on the first element in Bernese German (a Swiss German dialect):

• [iə̯w] as in Gieu 'boy'
• [yə̯w] as in Gfüeu 'feeling'
• [uə̯w] as in Schueu 'school'
• [yə̯j] as in Müej 'trouble'

Triphthongs stressed on the first element in British English:

• [aʊə] as in hour
• [aɪə] as in fire

See also

• List of phonetics topics
• diphthongs