How to pronounce detectives
Say it like dih-TEK-tivz. Detectives has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TEK).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce detectives. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- dih
- TEK
- tivz
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Detectives pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- dihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- TEKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- tivzKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of detectives
American and British speakers say detectives in essentially the same way: /dɪˈtɛktɪvz/ in the US and /dɪˈtɛktɪvz/ in the UK.
British respelling: dih-TEK-tivz.
What does detectives mean?
- plural of detective How to pronounce detective
- third-person singular simple present indicative of detective How to pronounce detective
Questions about saying detectives
How do you pronounce detectives?
Say dih-TEK-tivz. The American pronunciation is /dɪˈtɛktɪvz/. In British English it is /dɪˈtɛktɪvz/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in detectives?
Detectives has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TEK). Broken into parts: dih · TEK · tivz.
Do Americans and Brits say detectives the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /dɪˈtɛktɪvz/ and the British form is /dɪˈtɛktɪvz/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.