How to pronounce but
Say it like BUHT. But 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 but. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BUHT
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
But pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BUHTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
American vs British pronunciation of but
American and British speakers say but in essentially the same way: /bʌt/ in the US and /bʌt/ in the UK.
British respelling: BUHT.
What does but mean?
- and nothing more“I was merely asking”“it is simply a matter of time”
Where does but come from?
From Middle English but, buten, boute, bouten, from Old English būtan (“without, outside of, except, only”), from Proto-West Germanic *biūtan, *biūtini, equivalent to be- + out.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with but
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of but.
Words that sound like but
Questions about saying but
How do you pronounce but?
Say BUHT. The American pronunciation is /bʌt/. In British English it is /bʌt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in but?
But is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: BUHT.
Do Americans and Brits say but the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /bʌt/ and the British form is /bʌt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as but?
But sounds the same as butt in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.