The correct spelling is tongue. The spelling tounge is a common typing or spelling error, but it is not the standard form in English. A dictionary entry for the word is listed as tongue, with the letters in this order: t-o-n-g-u-eSource-1✅
Table of Contents
Correct Form
Tongue is the only standard spelling. It can mean the soft movable part inside the mouth, a spoken language, the flap on a shoe, or something shaped like a narrow projecting strip.
Simple Choice
- Correct: I burned my tongue on hot tea.
- Correct: English is not his first tongue.
- Incorrect: I burned my tounge on hot tea.
- Incorrect: English is not his first tounge.
The word looks a little odd because the spelling has gue at the end, while the sound is short and simple. That is why tounge feels possible to many writers. Still, the accepted spelling keeps the n before g: tongue.
Why The Missing N Happens
The spelling error usually comes from the way people hear the word. Tongue is pronounced with one syllable, and the final letters do not sound like a full g-u-e. The word sounds closer to tung, so writers sometimes move letters around and type tounge.
Spelling pattern: the correct order is tongue. The wrong version changes the middle into tounge.
This is not a grammar issue. It is a spelling issue. The word can be used correctly in a sentence, but the form tounge still needs to be changed to tongue.
Pronunciation and The Quiet N
Tongue is pronounced /tʌŋ/ in both UK and US English. The written letters gue do not create a separate syllable, and the word does not sound like “ton-goo.” Cambridge gives the pronunciation as /tʌŋ/Source-2✅
Sound and Spelling
- Written form: tongue
- Common sound: tung
- Syllables: one
- Letter order: t-o-n-g-u-e
The n is not silent. It is part of the final ng sound, as in words like sing, long, and ring. The part that feels quiet is the ending ue, because it does not add another spoken beat.
Word Origin and Word Parts
The spelling tongue has an older English history. Merriam-Webster traces it through Middle English tunge and Old English. That older form helps explain why the modern word does not follow the easiest sound-by-sound spelling.
In today’s English, the word has a few regular uses. It can name the body part, the idea of language, or an object part that has a similar shape. Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries lists meanings connected with the mouth, cooked animal tongue, and formal use for languageSource-3✅
Main Meanings
- Mouth: The tongue helps with tasting, speaking, and swallowing.
- Language: Mother tongue means a first language.
- Shoe Part: The tongue of a shoe sits under the laces.
- Shape: A narrow strip of land or material can be called a tongue.
Word Family and Related Forms
The word tongue appears inside several common English forms. These are spelled with the same base word, so the tongue spelling stays visible.
Common Forms
- tongued
- tonguing
- tongueless
- tonguelike
Common Phrases
- mother tongue
- tongue twister
- tongue in cheek
- on the tip of my tongue
One detail to notice: when endings are added, the word often keeps the base spelling. Tongue becomes tongued and tonguing, not tounged or tounging.
Common Misspellings Table
The table below shows the correct form beside the most likely spelling errors. The main thing to check is the letter order near the middle and end of the word.
| Form | Status | Why | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| tongue | ✅ Correct | Standard English spelling | The word is on the tip of my tongue. |
| tounge | ❌ Incorrect | The u is placed too early | The word is on the tip of my tongue. |
| toungue | ❌ Incorrect | It adds an extra letter pattern | She clicked her tongue. |
| tungue | ❌ Incorrect | It follows the sound too closely | He spoke in his native tongue. |
Examples in Sentences
Here are natural uses of tongue in different meanings. Each sentence uses the same spelling.
- She touched the roof of her mouth with her tongue.
- My first tongue is Spanish, but I also speak English.
- The tongue of the shoe slipped to one side.
- That phrase is hard to say; it feels like a tongue twister.
- I know the answer, but the word is stuck on the tip of my tongue.
Clean spelling note: if the word means a mouth part, a language, or a phrase like mother tongue, write tongue. Do not use tounge.
FAQ
Is Tounge Ever Correct?
No. Tounge is a misspelling of tongue. Use tongue in normal English writing.
Why Is Tongue Spelled with Gue?
The spelling comes from older English forms, and English spelling does not always match sound letter by letter. The ending gue remains in the written word, even though the word is pronounced as one syllable.
How Do You Pronounce Tongue?
Tongue is pronounced /tʌŋ/. It sounds close to tung, not ton-goo.
Is It Mother Tongue or Mother Tounge?
The correct phrase is mother tongue. The spelling mother tounge is incorrect.
What Is The Plural of Tongue?
The plural is tongues. Example: They speak several tongues. The base spelling tongue stays the same before the plural s.