How To Pronounce Matter

matter

Phonemic

/ˈmæt.ə/

Phonetic

[ˈmæt.əʴ]

Phonemic

/ˈmæt.ɚ/

In British English, matter is pronounced /ˈmæt.ə/. The narrow phonetic transcription is [ˈmæt.əʴ]. In American English, it is pronounced /ˈmæt.ɚ/.

Matter has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first syllable. The British and American pronunciations are different, so listen to both.

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

mætə

Matter 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.

matter + -s

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

/ˈmæt.əz/

/ˈmæt.ɚz/

matter + -ed

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

/ˈmæt.əd/

/ˈmæt.ɚd/

matter + -ing

-ing is always /ɪŋ/. In UK English a linking /r/ is added because the spelling ends in -r.

/ˈmæt.ər.ɪŋ/

/ˈmæt.ɚ.ɪŋ/

Words That Rhyme With Matter

Questions About Matter

How do you pronounce matter in British English?

In British English, matter is pronounced /ˈmæt.ə/. The narrow phonetic transcription is [ˈmæt.əʴ].

How do you pronounce matter in American English?

In American English, matter is pronounced /ˈmæt.ɚ/.

How many syllables are in matter?

Matter has two syllables, /mæt/ + /ə/.

Where is the stress in matter?

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

Do British and American English pronounce matter the same way?

No. British English has /ˈmæt.ə/ and American English has /ˈmæt.ɚ/.

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.