How To Pronounce Wire

wire

Phonemic

/waɪə/or/ˈwaɪ.ə/

Phonetic

[waɪəʴ]

Phonemic

/waɪr/

In British English, wire is pronounced /waɪə/ or /ˈwaɪ.ə/. The narrow phonetic transcription is [waɪəʴ]. In American English, it is pronounced /waɪr/.

Wire has one 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

waɪə

Wire has one syllable in British English.

wire + -s

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

/waɪəz/or/ˈwaɪ.əz/

/waɪrz/

wire + -ed

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

/waɪəd/or/ˈwaɪ.əd/

/waɪrd/

wire + -ing

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

/ˈwaɪə.rɪŋ/or/ˈwaɪ.ər.ɪŋ/

/ˈwaɪr.ɪŋ/

Words That Rhyme With Wire

Questions About Wire

How do you pronounce wire in British English?

In British English, wire is pronounced /waɪə/ or /ˈwaɪ.ə/. The narrow phonetic transcription is [waɪəʴ].

How do you pronounce wire in American English?

In American English, wire is pronounced /waɪr/.

Do British and American English pronounce wire the same way?

No. British English has /waɪə/ and American English has /waɪr/.

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