How to pronounce fifteen
Say it like fif-TEEN. Fifteen has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TEEN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce fifteen. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- fif
- TEEN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Fifteen pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- fifKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- TEENSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of fifteen
American and British speakers say fifteen in essentially the same way: /fɪfˈtin/ in the US and /fɪfˈtiːn/ in the UK.
British respelling: fif-TEEN.
Other ways to say fifteen
Fifteen also has this pronunciation, usually with a different meaning or use:
- FIF-TEEN /ˈfɪfˈtin/
What does fifteen mean?
- being one more than fourteen
- the cardinal number that is the sum of fourteen and one
Where does fifteen come from?
From Middle English fiftene, from Old English fīftīene, fīftēne, from Proto-Germanic *fimftehun.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
- xv
Words that rhyme with fifteen
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of fifteen.
Questions about saying fifteen
How do you pronounce fifteen?
Say fif-TEEN. The American pronunciation is /fɪfˈtin/. In British English it is /fɪfˈtiːn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in fifteen?
Fifteen has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TEEN). Broken into parts: fif · TEEN.
Do Americans and Brits say fifteen the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /fɪfˈtin/ and the British form is /fɪfˈtiːn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.