How To Pronounce Play
play
UK
Phonemic
/pleɪ/
Phonetic
[pl̥eɪ]
US
Phonemic
/pleɪ/
In British English, play is pronounced /pleɪ/. The narrow phonetic transcription is [pl̥eɪ]. In American English, it is pronounced /pleɪ/.
Play has one 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
pleɪ
Play has one syllable in British English.
play + -s
-s (plural, possessive or singular verb) is /z/ after a voiced consonant or a vowel sound.
UK
/pleɪz/
US
/pleɪz/
play + -ed
-ed (past tense or past participle) is /d/ after a voiced consonant or a vowel sound.
UK
/pleɪd/
US
/pleɪd/
play + -ing
-ing is always /ɪŋ/.
UK
/ˈpleɪ.ɪŋ/
US
/ˈpleɪ.ɪŋ/
Words That Rhyme With Play
Questions About Play
How do you pronounce play in British English?
In British English, play is pronounced /pleɪ/. The narrow phonetic transcription is [pl̥eɪ].
How do you pronounce play in American English?
In American English, play is pronounced /pleɪ/.
Do British and American English pronounce play the same way?
Yes. Both are /pleɪ/.
Nearby Words
Learn English and Literature with Adroit Tutors on our website, and order course materials there too.
www.adroittutors.com