How to pronounce hen
Say it like HEN. Hen 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 hen. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HEN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Hen pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HENSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of hen
American and British speakers say hen in essentially the same way: /hɛn/ in the US and /hɛn/ in the UK.
British respelling: HEN.
What does hen mean?
- adult female chicken
- adult female bird
- flesh of an older chicken suitable for stewing
Where does hen come from?
Etymology 1, noun sense 7 after cock (“male chicken; man's penis”).
Words that rhyme with hen
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of hen.
Questions about saying hen
How do you pronounce hen?
Say HEN. The American pronunciation is /hɛn/. In British English it is /hɛn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in hen?
Hen is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: HEN.
Do Americans and Brits say hen the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /hɛn/ and the British form is /hɛn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.