How to pronounce four
Say it like FOR. Four is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
- FOR
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Four pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FORSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
American vs British pronunciation of four
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: FAW.
What does four mean?
- A numerical value equal to 4; the number following three and preceding five.“There are four seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter.”
- Describing a set or group with four elements.
- The digit or figure 4; an occurrence thereof.
- Anything measuring four units, as length.“Do you have any more fours? I want to make this a little taller.”
- Four o'clock.
Where does four come from?
Cognates include Scots fower, Saterland Frisian fjauer, West Frisian fjouwer, Dutch vier, German Low German veer, German vier, Norwegian Bokmål and Danish fire, Swedish fyra, Gothic 𐍆𐌹𐌳𐍅𐍉𐍂 (fidwōr) and, more distantly, Latin quattuor (whenc
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with four
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of four.
Words that sound like four
Questions about saying four
How do you pronounce four?
Say FOR. The American pronunciation is /fɔr/. In British English it is /fɔː/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in four?
Four is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: FOR.
Is four 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 /fɔː/ (FAW).
What words sound the same as four?
Four sounds the same as fore, for in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.