Latin Subscript Small Letter R

It marks side articulation beside a neighboring sound in UPA.

The Uralic Phonetic Alphabet (UPA) is a system for recording speech, especially in Uralic languages. In it, subscript letters mark side articulation around a neighboring sound. Read ᵣ with the surrounding notation, not as a standalone sound.

The system's first published proposal is associated with 1901 and linguist Eemil Nestor Setälä. UPA and related Uralic transcription traditions developed in different research settings, so the source's convention matters. The encoded character gives this notation a digital form.

How do I type subscript r?

Use a Finnish UPA/SUT layout for repeated transcription.

A Finnish Windows layout documents dedicated key combinations for UPA/SUT characters, which can be awkward to enter on an ordinary keyboard. Choose a layout that matches the notation in your source.

A formatting control can make an ordinary r look smaller, but it does not preserve this distinct character in plain text.

Is ᵣ the same as ʳ?

No. ᵣ sits below the line; ʳ is raised above it.

UPA treats subscript, superscript, turned, and small-capital r forms as separate characters derived from r. Their shapes do not promise one shared sound; the notation system sets each form's role.

The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) uses turned ɹ for a voiced sound made with the tongue near the ridge behind the upper teeth while air keeps flowing. That IPA value does not carry over to ᵣ.