How To Pronounce Preserve

preserve

Phonemic

/prɪˈzɜːv/

Phonetic

[pr̥ɪˈzɜːʴv]

Phonemic

/prɪˈzɝːv/

In British English, preserve is pronounced /prɪˈzɜːv/. The narrow phonetic transcription is [pr̥ɪˈzɜːʴv]. In American English, it is pronounced /prɪˈzɝːv/.

Preserve has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second 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

prɪzɜːv

Preserve has two syllables in British English, and the main stress is on the second syllable, shown in colour above. Its stress pattern is oO, where O is the stressed syllable.

preserve + -s

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

/prɪˈzɜːvz/

/prɪˈzɝːvz/

preserve + -ed

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

/prɪˈzɜːvd/

/prɪˈzɝːvd/

preserve + -ing

-ing is always /ɪŋ/.

/prɪˈzɜː.vɪŋ/

/prɪˈzɝː.vɪŋ/

Words That Rhyme With Preserve

Questions About Preserve

How do you pronounce preserve in British English?

In British English, preserve is pronounced /prɪˈzɜːv/. The narrow phonetic transcription is [pr̥ɪˈzɜːʴv].

How do you pronounce preserve in American English?

In American English, preserve is pronounced /prɪˈzɝːv/.

How many syllables are in preserve?

Preserve has two syllables, /prɪ/ + /zɜːv/.

Where is the stress in preserve?

The main stress is on the second syllable, /zɜːv/.

Do British and American English pronounce preserve the same way?

No. British English has /prɪˈzɜːv/ and American English has /prɪˈzɝːv/.

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Other Words With The Stress Pattern oO

Nearby Words

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