How to pronounce grandfather
Say it like GRAND-fah-ther. Grandfather has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (GRAND).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce grandfather. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- GRAND
- fah
- ther
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Grandfather pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- GRANDSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- fahGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- therKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of grandfather
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- British speakers use the long "ah" vowel of father where Americans use the "a" of cat.
British respelling: GRAND-fah-thuh.
What does grandfather mean?
- the father of your father or mother
Where does grandfather come from?
The noun is derived from Middle English grandfadre, graundfadir, graunfadir, grauntfader, and other forms, from graunt (“big, large; great, important”) + fā̆der (“male parent, father; remoter male ancestor”), probably modeled after Middle
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying grandfather
How do you pronounce grandfather?
Say GRAND-fah-ther. The American pronunciation is /ˈɡrændˌfɑðɚ/. In British English it is /ˈɡrændˌfɑːðə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in grandfather?
Grandfather has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (GRAND). Broken into parts: GRAND · fah · ther.
Is grandfather 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 /ˈɡrændˌfɑːðə/ (GRAND-fah-thuh).