How to pronounce English
Say it like ING-glish. English has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (ING).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce English. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ING
- glish
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
English pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- INGSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- glishKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of English
American and British speakers say English in essentially the same way: /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/ in the US and /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/ in the UK.
British respelling: ING-glish.
What does English mean?
- of or relating to or characteristic of England or its culture or people“English history”“the English landed aristocracy”
- of or relating to the English language
- an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries
- the people of England
- the discipline that studies the English language and literature
Where does English come from?
Uncertain. It is speculated to relate either to people from England introducing the technique for billiards or bowling in the United States, or perhaps from a particular person with the surname English.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying English
How do you pronounce English?
Say ING-glish. The American pronunciation is /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/. In British English it is /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in English?
English has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (ING). Broken into parts: ING · glish.
Do Americans and Brits say English the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/ and the British form is /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.