How to pronounce fun
Say it like FUHN. Fun 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 fun. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FUHN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Fun pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FUHNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
American vs British pronunciation of fun
American and British speakers say fun in essentially the same way: /fʌn/ in the US and /fʌn/ in the UK.
British respelling: FUHN.
What does fun mean?
- activities that are enjoyable or amusing“I do it for the fun of it”“he is fun to have around”
- verbal wit or mockery (often at another's expense but not to be taken seriously)“he became a figure of fun”“he said it in sport”
- violent and excited activity“she asked for money and then the fun began”
Where does fun come from?
Alternative etymology connected Middle English fonne with Old Frisian fonna, fone, fomne, variant forms of fāmne, fēmne (“young woman, virgin”), from Proto-West Germanic *faimnijā, from Proto-Germanic *faimnijǭ (“maiden”), from Proto-Indo-E
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with fun
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of fun.
Questions about saying fun
How do you pronounce fun?
Say FUHN. The American pronunciation is /fʌn/. In British English it is /fʌn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in fun?
Fun is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: FUHN.
Do Americans and Brits say fun the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /fʌn/ and the British form is /fʌn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.