How to pronounce banns
Say it like BANZ. Banns 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 banns. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BANZ
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Banns pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BANZSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of banns
American and British speakers say banns in essentially the same way: /bænz/ in the US and /bænz/ in the UK.
British respelling: BANZ.
What does banns mean?
- The announcement of a forthcoming marriage (legally required for a church wedding in England and Wales and read on the three Sundays preceding the marriage).
Where does banns come from?
An alteration of bans.
Questions about saying banns
How do you pronounce banns?
Say BANZ. The American pronunciation is /bænz/. In British English it is /bænz/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in banns?
Banns is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: BANZ.
Do Americans and Brits say banns the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /bænz/ and the British form is /bænz/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.