How to pronounce half
Say it like HAF. Half is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
- HAF
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Half pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HAFSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of half
- British speakers use the long "ah" vowel of father where Americans use the "a" of cat.
British respelling: HAHF.
What does half mean?
- One of two usually roughly equal parts into which anything may be divided, or considered as divided.“I ate the smaller half of the apple.”
- One of two equal periods into which a game is divided.“An association football match usually consists of two halves of 45 minutes each.”
- One of the two opposite parts of the playing field of various sports, in which each starts the game.
- Consisting of a half (½, 50%).“a half kilo”
- Consisting of some indefinite portion resembling a half; approximately a half, whether more or less; partial; imperfect.“a half truth”
- Having one parent (rather than two) in common.“a half brother or half sister”
- In two equal parts or to an equal degree.
- In some part approximating a half.
- Partially; imperfectly.“half-colored”
Where does half come from?
Cognate with Old Saxon, Old Frisian, and Old Dutch half, West Frisian heal, Dutch half, German halb, Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish halv, Icelandic hálfur and Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌻𐌱𐍃 (halbs).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with half
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of half.
Questions about saying half
How do you pronounce half?
Say HAF. The American pronunciation is /hæf/. In British English it is /hɑːf/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in half?
Half is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: HAF.
Is half pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. British speakers use the long "ah" vowel of father where Americans use the "a" of cat. The British form is /hɑːf/ (HAHF).