How to pronounce been
Say it like BIN. Been is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
- BIN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Been pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BINSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of been
American and British speakers say been in essentially the same way: /bɪn/ in the US and /bɪn/ in the UK.
British respelling: BIN.
What does been mean?
- past participle of be. How to pronounce be“All the fries have been eaten.”
- remote past form of be.“He been had that job.”
- Synonym of be (infinitival sense).“It useta been five foot long.”
Where does been come from?
From Middle English been (past participle), from Old English (ġe)bēon.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with been
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of been.
Words that sound like been
Questions about saying been
How do you pronounce been?
Say BIN. The American pronunciation is /bɪn/. In British English it is /bɪn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in been?
Been is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: BIN.
Do Americans and Brits say been the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /bɪn/ and the British form is /bɪn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as been?
Been sounds the same as bin in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.