How to pronounce chess
Say it like CHES. Chess 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 chess. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- CHES
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Chess pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- CHESSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of chess
American and British speakers say chess in essentially the same way: /tʃɛs/ in the US and /tʃɛs/ in the UK.
British respelling: CHES.
What does chess mean?
- weedy annual native to Europe but widely distributed as a weed especially in wheat
- a board game for two players who move their 16 pieces according to specific rules; the object is to checkmate the opponent's king
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with chess
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of chess.
Questions about saying chess
How do you pronounce chess?
Say CHES. The American pronunciation is /tʃɛs/. In British English it is /tʃɛs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in chess?
Chess is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: CHES.
Do Americans and Brits say chess the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /tʃɛs/ and the British form is /tʃɛs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.