How to pronounce er
Say it like ER. Er 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 er. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ER
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Er pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ERSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of er
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: UH.
What does er mean?
- Said when hesitating in speech.
- To utter the word er when hesitating in speech.“um and er”
- An occurrence of the interjection "er".
Where does er come from?
Mimetic (sound of hesitation).
Words that sound like er
Questions about saying er
How do you pronounce er?
Say ER. The American pronunciation is /ɚ/. In British English it is /ə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in er?
Er is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: ER.
Is er pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ə/ (UH).
What words sound the same as er?
Er sounds the same as are, or in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.