{{distinguish|palato-alveolar consonantconsonants}}

In [[phonetics]], '''alveolo-palatal''' ('''alveolopalatal''', '''alveo-palatal''' or '''alveopalatal''') [[consonant]]s, sometimes synonymous with '''pre-palatal''' consonants, are intermediate in [[place of articulation|articulation]] between the [[coronal consonant|coronal]] and [[dorsal consonant|dorsal]] consonants, or which have simultaneous [[alveolar consonant|alveolar]] and [[palatal consonant|palatal]] articulation. In the official IPA chart, alveolo-palatals would appear between the [[retroflex consonant|retroflex]] and [[palatal consonant|palatal]] consonants but for "lack of space".<ref name=Esling>John Esling, 2010, "Phonetic Notation". In Hardcastle, Laver, & Gibbon, eds, ''The Handbook of Phonetic Sciences'', p 693</ref> Ladefoged and Maddieson characterize the alveolo-palatals as [[Palatalization (phonetics)|palatalized]] [[postalveolar consonant|postalveolar]]s (and thus as [[palato-alveolar]]s), articulated with the blade of the tongue behind the alveolar ridge and the body of the tongue raised toward the palate,<ref>{{SOWL|153–154}}</ref> whereas Esling describes them as [[advanced (phonetics)|advanced]] palatals (pre-palatals), the furthest front of the [[dorsal consonant]]s, articulated with the body of the tongue approaching the [[alveolar ridge]].<ref name="Esling"/> These descriptions are essentially equivalent, since the contact includes both the blade and body (but not the tip) of the tongue (see schematic at right). They are front enough that the fricatives and affricates are [[sibilant]]s, the only sibilants among the dorsal consonants.

According to Daniel Recasens, alveolo-palatal consonants are realized through the formation of a simultaneous closure or constriction at the alveolar and palatal zones with a primary articulator which encompasses the blade and the tongue dorsum. Their place of articulation may include the postalveolar zone and the prepalate, but also a larger contact area extending towards the front alveolar zone and the back palate surface. The tongue tip is bent downwards and the tongue dorsum is raised and fronted during the production of these consonants.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Recasens |first1=Daniel |title=On the articulatory classification of (alveolo)palatal consonants |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259431938 |access-date=26 October 2021}}</ref>

In some spoken Chinese varieties, such as the {{ill|Luchuan Ngai|lt=Luchuan Hakka|zh|𠊎话#陆川话}} in {{ill|Hengshan, Luchuan County|lt=Hengshan|zh|横山镇 (陆川县)}}, contrast the alveolo-palatal nasal with the palato-velar nasal. For example, the following contrasting pairs can be found in Luchuan Ngai.

! [[Baxter's transcription for Middle Chinese|EMC]] !! Character !! Pronunciation !! Tone

| newH || [[wikt:尿|尿]] || rowspan="2" | niau || 去

| nraewX || [[wikt:撓|撓]] || niau || 阳平

Although a number of spoken Chinese varieties, such as standard Mandarin, also contrast EMC alveolo-palatal nasal with velar nasal of class III (palatalizing medial), most don't contrast them in a way that alveolo-palatal differs from palatal. For example, in {{ill|Pianxu, Mashan County|lt=Pianlian|WD=Q14457200}} Hakka, alveolo-palatal nasal marginally contrasts with velar nasal under [[four hu|close front medial]]s, but there is little sign of palatal contrasts.