How To Pronounce Lessen

lessen

Phonemic

/ˈles.ən/

Phonetic

[ˈles.ə̃n]

Phonemic

/ˈles.ən/

In British English, lessen is pronounced /ˈles.ən/. The narrow phonetic transcription is [ˈles.ə̃n]. In American English, it is pronounced /ˈles.ən/.

Lessen has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first syllable. British and American speakers say it the same way.

Slashes / / show the phonemic transcription, the sounds that change meaning. Square brackets [ ] show the phonetic transcription, with the finer detail of how the sounds are actually made.

Syllables, Stress And Endings

Syllables And Stress

lesən

Lessen has two syllables in British English, and the main stress is on the first syllable, shown in colour above. Its stress pattern is Oo, where O is the stressed syllable.

lessen + -s

-s (plural, possessive or singular verb) is /z/ after a voiced consonant or a vowel sound.

/ˈles.ənz/

lessen + -ed

-ed (past tense or past participle) is /d/ after a voiced consonant or a vowel sound.

/ˈles.ənd/

lessen + -ing

-ing is always /ɪŋ/.

/ˈles.ən.ɪŋ/

Words That Rhyme With Lessen

lesson

Questions About Lessen

How do you pronounce lessen in British English?

In British English, lessen is pronounced /ˈles.ən/. The narrow phonetic transcription is [ˈles.ə̃n].

How do you pronounce lessen in American English?

In American English, lessen is pronounced /ˈles.ən/.

How many syllables are in lessen?

Lessen has two syllables, /les/ + /ən/.

Where is the stress in lessen?

The main stress is on the first syllable, /les/.

Do British and American English pronounce lessen the same way?

Yes. Both are /ˈles.ən/.

Search All 10,380 Words In The App

Other Words With The Stress Pattern Oo

Nearby Words

Learn English and Literature with Adroit Tutors on our website, and order course materials there too.