Ifonetiki yigama elisuselwa olimini lwesiGriki: (φωνή elisho umsindo, izwi). Ifonetiki yigatsha lwesifundo ngezilimi elibhekene nemisindo yenkulumo, noma  - izici zezimpawu ezisetshenziswa olimini lwabantu abayizithulu.  Ifonetiki ibhekene nokuphinyiswa kwemisindo yenkulumo noma izimpawu: ibheka ukuthi imisindo iphinyiswa kanjani, isuke kanjani emlonyeni wokhulumayo iye endlebeni yolalele, izwakale kanjani kolalele, ifonetiki ibheka nokusebenza kwemizwa lapho kusebenza izitho zokuphimisa. Ifonoloji, ngakolunye uhlangothi, ibheka okwenzeka emisindweni noma ezimpawini zemisindo lapho isetshenziswa olimini.   Isifundo sefonetiki [ siyisifundo sezolimi ]esimkhakhamningi esibhekene nemisindo yenkulumo. Ezilimini ezikhulunywayo mithathu imikhakha ebhekwayo eyisisekelo: Ifonetiki yokuphimisa: yisifundo semisindo yenkulumo lapho okhulumayo esebenzisa izitho zokuphimisa kanye nomgudu womoya osetshenziswayo empimisweni. Ifonetiki yokuhamba kwemisindo: yisifundo sokuhamba kwemisindo isuka kokhulumayo iye kolalele. Ifonetiki ephathelene nokuzwa imisindo: yisifundo esiphathelene nokuthi imisindo yakwamukelwa futhi iqondisiswe kanjani ngolalele. Le mikhakha iyashiyelana. Yomithathu iphathelene nemisindo, ubude bamaza emisindo (iphimbo), ukuphakama kanye  nokunyakaza kwezitho zokuphimisa.  Ifonetiki yayiyisifundo okwasekubhekenwe naso eminyakeni engamakhulu amathathu (3) BC ezwenikazini elincane laseNdiya, kubhekwa okwenziwe nguPanini ngezitho zokuphimisa kanye nendlela imisindo ephinyiswa ngayo ongwaqa olimini lwesiSanskrit. Namuhla ama-alphabhethi amaningi aseNdiya ahlela ongwaqa bawo ngokuhlela kukaPanini.