How To Pronounce Number

number

Phonemic

/ˈnʌm.bə/

Phonetic

[ˈnʌ̃m.bəʴ]

Phonemic

/ˈnʌm.bɚ/

In British English, number is pronounced /ˈnʌm.bə/. The narrow phonetic transcription is [ˈnʌ̃m.bəʴ]. In American English, it is pronounced /ˈnʌm.bɚ/.

Number 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

nʌmbə

Number 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.

number + -s

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

/ˈnʌm.bəz/

/ˈnʌm.bɚz/

number + -ed

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

/ˈnʌm.bəd/

/ˈnʌm.bɚd/

number + -ing

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

/ˈnʌm.bə.rɪŋ/

/ˈnʌm.bɚ.ɪŋ/

Words That Rhyme With Number

Questions About Number

How do you pronounce number in British English?

In British English, number is pronounced /ˈnʌm.bə/. The narrow phonetic transcription is [ˈnʌ̃m.bəʴ].

How do you pronounce number in American English?

In American English, number is pronounced /ˈnʌm.bɚ/.

How many syllables are in number?

Number has two syllables, /nʌm/ + /bə/.

Where is the stress in number?

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

Do British and American English pronounce number the same way?

No. British English has /ˈnʌm.bə/ and American English has /ˈnʌm.bɚ/.

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Other Words With The Stress Pattern Oo

Nearby Words

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