Tips to Pronounce English like a Native

Pronouncing words correctly is essential for any foreigner learning English. In this article, we will teach you the correct way to pronounce some of the most commonly used English words. We will also include a video pronunciation guide to make sure you get it right!

To start, let’s take a look at the English word “hello”.

The correct way to say “hello” in English is “hallo”.

What is the /kɛtɪˈnæm/ sound?

The /kɛtɪˈnæm/ sound is pronounce like the ickle-nim inickle.

The /aɪ/ sound

The /aɪ/ sound is typically pronounce like the “eye” in buy.

For example, say the word “tree.” The first syllable is “tare,” and the second syllable is “ee.” To say the /aɪ/ sound, you would say “taree.”

The /iː/ sound

The /iː/ sound is typically pronounce like the “eye” in “meet” or “bye”.

The /jʊ/ sound

As with many English sounds, the /jʊ/ sound can be difficult to pronounce for some speakers. Here are a few tips to help you get it right:

The j in shop is pronounce like the y in yes.

in is pronounced like the in yes.
The j in jar is pronounce like the y in night.

in is pronounced like the in night.
The j in judge is pronounce like the y in year.

The /uː/ sound

The /uː/ sound is pronounce as in buy.

The /aʊ/ sound

The /aʊ/ sound in English is often pronounce as a long ‘auh’. Here are some tips on how to say it:

When the word is at the beginning of a word, such as in cat or hat, the /aʊ/ is usually pronounce as an ‘ah’.

In words that begin with a vowel letter, such as bag or rat, the /aʊ/ is pronounce as in the Scottish word ‘mauch’.

For words that start with a consonant, such as aisle or cave, the /aʊ/ is pronounce like the ‘ou’ in how.

The /oʊ/ sound

There are three main English sounds that are all pronounce differently – the /oʊ/, the /aʊ/, and the /ɔː/. Here’s how to say each one:

/oʊ/ – this is the “ough” sound in cough, horse, and how. It’s made by softly closing your lips together and making a humming noise.

/aʊ/ – this is the “aa” sound in dad, cat, and hat. It’s made by raising your voice at the end of the vowel and softening it down again.

/ɔː/ – this is the “wah” sound in wagon, law, and how. It’s made by pronouncing the vowel very slowly and then saying “ow” after it.

The /eɪ/ sound

The /eɪ/ sound is pronounce like the “a” in father.

Pronunciation of long words and phrases

There are many words and phrases that are pronounce differently in different dialects of English. In this article, we will discuss how to pronounce long words and phrases in American, British, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand and South African English.

American English:

The word “colour” is usually pronounce as two syllables – ko-lor. However, some people in the United States say it as one syllable – co-lor. The word “progress” is pronounce pro-gress. The word “proceed” is usually pronounce pro-ceed. The word “professor” is usually pronounce pro-fessor. The word “professional” is usually pronounce pro-fessional. The word “program” is usually pronounce pro-gram. The word “prosecution” is usually pronounce pro-secutions.

Also see: A Complete guide on understanding accents

British English:

The word “colour” is usually pronounce as two syllables – ko-lor. However, some people in the United Kingdom say it as one syllable – co-lor. The word “progress” is usually pronounce pros-cess. The word “proceed” is usually pronounce pros-eek-