The spelling of the word "privas" uses the IPA phonetic transcription /pʁiva/. The first sound, /p/, is a voiceless bilabial plosive, meaning the sound is made using the lips and no vibration in the vocal folds. The next sound, /ʁ/, is a voiced uvular fricative, meaning the sound is made in the back of the mouth with vibration of the vocal folds. The final sound, /a/, is a mid-open front unrounded vowel, indicating that the sound is made with the mouth slightly open and the tongue in a front position.