How to pronounce harp
Say it like HARP. Harp 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 harp. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HARP
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Harp pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HARPSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of harp
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: HAHP.
What does harp mean?
- A musical instrument consisting of a body and a curved neck, strung with strings of varying length that are stroked or plucked with the fingers and are vertical to the soundboard when viewed from the end of the body
- Any instrument of the same musicological type.
- A harmonica.
- To play on (a harp or similar instrument).
- To play (a tune) on the harp.
Where does harp come from?
From Middle English harpe, from Old English hearpe (“harp”), from Proto-West Germanic *harpā, from Proto-Germanic *harpǭ (“harp”).
Words that rhyme with harp
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of harp.
Questions about saying harp
How do you pronounce harp?
Say HARP. The American pronunciation is /hɑrp/. In British English it is /hɑːp/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in harp?
Harp is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: HARP.
Is harp 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 /hɑːp/ (HAHP).