How to pronounce an
Say it like AN. An is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce an. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- AN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
An pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ANSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of an
American and British speakers say an in essentially the same way: /æn/ in the US and /æn/ in the UK.
British respelling: AN.
What does an mean?
- Used before a vowel sound.“I'll be there in half an hour.”
- Used before /h/ in a stressed or unstressed syllable.
- Used before one and words with initial ⟨u⟩, ⟨eu⟩ when pronounced /ju/.
- The first letter of the Georgian alphabet, ა (Mkhedruli), Ⴀ (Asomtavruli) or ⴀ (Nuskhuri).
- In each; to or for each; per.“I was only going twenty miles an hour.”
Where does an come from?
From Middle English an, from Old English ān (“a, an”, literally “one”).
Words that rhyme with an
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of an.
Words that sound like an
Questions about saying an
How do you pronounce an?
Say AN. The American pronunciation is /æn/. In British English it is /æn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in an?
An is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: AN.
Do Americans and Brits say an the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /æn/ and the British form is /æn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as an?
An sounds the same as ane in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.