How to pronounce both
Say it like BOHTH. Both 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 both. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BOHTH
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Both pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BOHTHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
American vs British pronunciation of both
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: BOHTH.
What does both mean?
- (used with count nouns) two considered together; the two“both girls are pretty”
Where does both come from?
From Middle English bothe, boþe, from Old English bā þā (“both the; both those”) and possibly reinforced by Old Norse báðir, from Proto-Germanic *bai.
Words that rhyme with both
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of both.
Questions about saying both
How do you pronounce both?
Say BOHTH. The American pronunciation is /boʊθ/. In British English it is /bəʊθ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in both?
Both is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: BOHTH.
Is both pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /bəʊθ/ (BOHTH).