The spelling of the phrase "are the wind" is straightforward in English. "Are" is the present tense form of the verb "to be," and "the" is an article while "wind" is a noun meaning "air in natural motion." The IPA phonetic transcription for "are" is /ɑr/ and for "wind" is /wɪnd/. When spoken together, the phrase is pronounced as /ɑr ðə wɪnd/. This phrase suggests that the subject (such as a person) is as elusive and ever-changing as the wind.