How to pronounce help
Say it like HELP. Help is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
- HELP
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Help pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HELPSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of help
American and British speakers say help in essentially the same way: /hɛlp/ in the US and /hɛlp/ in the UK.
British respelling: HELP.
What does help mean?
- Action given to provide assistance; aid.“I need some help with my homework.”
- Something or someone which provides assistance with a task.“He was a great help to me when I was moving house.”
- Documentation provided with computer software that could be accessed using the computer.“I can't find anything in the help about rotating an image.”
- To provide assistance to (someone or something).“He helped his grandfather cook breakfast.”
- To assist (a person) in getting something, especially food or drink at table; used with to.“It is polite to help your guests to food before serving yourself.”
- To contribute in some way to.“The white paint on the walls helps make the room look brighter.”
- A cry of distress or an urgent request for assistance.“, Take that, you scoundrel., Help! Robin, help!”
Where does help come from?
Cognate with Saterland Frisian Hälpe (“help”), West Frisian help (“help”), Cimbrian hölfe (“help”), Dutch hulp (“help”), German Hilfe (“help, aid, assistance”), Luxembourgish Hëllef (“help”), Mòcheno hilf (“help”), Vilamovian hyłf (“help”),
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with help
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of help.
Questions about saying help
How do you pronounce help?
Say HELP. The American pronunciation is /hɛlp/. In British English it is /hɛlp/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in help?
Help is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: HELP.
Do Americans and Brits say help the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /hɛlp/ and the British form is /hɛlp/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.