How to pronounce hand
Say it like HAND. Hand 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 hand. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HAND
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Hand pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HANDSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of hand
American and British speakers say hand in essentially the same way: /hænd/ in the US and /hænd/ in the UK.
British respelling: HAND.
What does hand mean?
- the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb“he had the hands of a surgeon”“he extended his mitt”
- a hired laborer on a farm or ranch“the hired hand fixed the railing”“a ranch hand”
- something written by hand“she recognized his handwriting”“his hand was illegible”
- place into the hands or custody of“hand me the spoon, please”“Turn the files over to me, please”
- guide or conduct or usher somewhere“hand the elderly lady into the taxi”
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with hand
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of hand.
Questions about saying hand
How do you pronounce hand?
Say HAND. The American pronunciation is /hænd/. In British English it is /hænd/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in hand?
Hand is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: HAND.
Do Americans and Brits say hand the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /hænd/ and the British form is /hænd/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.