They are used to represent the sounds of spoken language, and they are different from the letters of the alphabet, which are used to represent written language.
Here are some examples of phonetic symbols:
* IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet): This is the most widely used system of phonetic symbols, and it has a symbol for every sound in every language.
* ARPABET (American English Pronunciation Alphabet): This is a simplified version of the IPA that is used for transcribing English.
* Other systems: There are many other phonetic systems in use, such as those used for specific languages or for specific purposes, like teaching pronunciation.