How to pronounce afternoon
Say it like af-ter-NOON. Afternoon has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (NOON).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce afternoon. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- af
- ter
- NOON
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Afternoon pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- afGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- terKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- NOONSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
American vs British pronunciation of afternoon
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- British speakers use the long "ah" vowel of father where Americans use the "a" of cat.
British respelling: ahf-tuh-NOON.
What does afternoon mean?
- the part of the day between noon and evening“he spent a quiet afternoon in the park”
- a conventional expression of greeting or farewell
Where does afternoon come from?
From Middle English afternone, after-non, equivalent to after- + noon.
Words that rhyme with afternoon
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of afternoon.
Questions about saying afternoon
How do you pronounce afternoon?
Say af-ter-NOON. The American pronunciation is /ˌæftɚˈnun/. In British English it is /ˌɑːftəˈnuːn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in afternoon?
Afternoon has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (NOON). Broken into parts: af · ter · NOON.
Is afternoon pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˌɑːftəˈnuːn/ (ahf-tuh-NOON).