Military Alphabet · Letter L
L in the Military Alphabet: Lima
Code word, pronunciation, history, and how to use it when spelling out loud
L for Lima: What Lima Means in the Military Alphabet
In the military alphabet, the letter L is Lima, pronounced LEE-mah — like the capital of Peru, not like the bean. It has been the code word for L since the NATO alphabet took effect in March 1956, carried over from ICAO's 1951 list.
Whether you say "L for Lima", "L as in Lima", or just "Lima", the meaning is the same: the letter L. On a radio or a phone line, the code word replaces the letter so it cannot be confused with a similar-sounding one.
How to Pronounce Lima
Lima is pronounced LEE-mah, with the stress on the first syllable (LEE). That is the official ICAO respelling, and the same pronunciation is used in military, aviation, and marine radio. Press the play button above to hear it.
Why "Lima"?
Lima is the capital of Peru, and as a place name it was known to speakers of all three of ICAO's working languages — English, French, and Spanish — with essentially the same spelling in each. Short, open-voweled words transmit well through static, and Lima's two crisp syllables fit that requirement. It entered ICAO's alphabet in 1951 and came through the pre-1956 testing intact while five other code words were swapped out.
L Across Spelling Alphabets
| Alphabet | Word for L |
|---|---|
| NATO/ICAO | Lima |
| LAPD | Lincoln |
| Western Union | Lincoln |
| German (Classic) | Ludwig |
| German (DIN 5009:2022) | Leipzig |
| French | Louis |
| Spanish | Lorenzo |
| Italian | Livorno |
| Able Baker (WWII, historical) | Love |
| RAF 1924 (historical) | London |
L has changed character with each alphabet: the RAF spelled it "London" from 1924, the WWII Able Baker alphabet made it "Love," and 1956 settled on Lima — a return to a place name, just a different hemisphere.
Lima in the Field
Ask any veteran what "Lima Charlie" means and you will get the same answer: loud and clear, the standard reply to a radio check. Lima Company serves in the 3rd Battalion of a US Marine regiment, following India and Kilo. In civil aviation the word appears wherever letters are read aloud — taxiway Lima in ground instructions, or a registration like N45L acknowledged as "November Four Five Lima."
"L as in Lima" on the Phone
The street name starts with L as in Lima — Lima like the city in Peru — then E as in Echo.
More on spelling out names and codes call-side in the phone spelling guide, and every letter's "as in" word is on the letters-as-words page. To convert whole words instantly, use the free military alphabet translator.
ONE TO REMEMBER
In Malay and Indonesian, "lima" is the word for the number five — an awkward collision for a code word that is supposed to sound like a letter, never a numeral.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is L in the military alphabet?
L is Lima, pronounced LEE-mah. It is the twelfth code word of the NATO/ICAO phonetic alphabet, in use since March 1956.
How do you pronounce Lima?
The ICAO pronunciation is LEE-mah, stress on the first syllable — the same as the Peruvian capital. It is not pronounced LY-mah, the way Americans say the bean.
What was L before it was Lima?
The RAF's 1924 alphabet used "London," and the WWII US-UK Able Baker alphabet used "Love." Lima replaced Love when the current NATO alphabet was adopted in 1956.
What does "Lima Charlie" mean on the radio?
Lima Charlie spells L-C, shorthand for "loud and clear." It is the customary answer to a radio check confirming that a transmission is coming through at full strength and readability.
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