The spelling of the word "Tapoa tafa" can be a bit confusing, as it contains sounds that do not have direct equivalents in English. In IPA phonetic transcription, the word would be spelled as /tʰapɔa taɸa/. The "tʰ" represents a voiceless, aspirated "t" sound, while the "ɔ" represents an open-mid back-rounded vowel. The "ɸ" represents a bilabial fricative, a sound similar to the "f" but made by bringing the lips closer together. Understanding IPA transcription can help when encountering words with unfamiliar sounds.