How to pronounce how
Say it like HOW. How 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 how. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HOW
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
How pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HOWSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ow" in now.
American vs British pronunciation of how
American and British speakers say how in essentially the same way: /haʊ/ in the US and /haʊ/ in the UK.
British respelling: HOW.
What does how mean?
- To what degree or extent.“How often do you practice?”
- In what manner
- By what means.“How do you solve this puzzle? –Sorry, I can't remember how.”
- Used to state that something is in a certain way or state.“She told me how her father was a doctor.”
- The means by which something is accomplished.“I am not interested in the why, but in the how.”
Where does how come from?
Akin to Scots hoo, foo (“how”), North Frisian ho, hü, hur (“how”), Saterland Frisian wo (“how”), West Frisian hoe (“how”), Dutch hoe (“how”), Low German ho, wo, wu (“how”), German wie (“how”), Swedish hur (“how”).
Words that rhyme with how
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of how.
Words that sound like how
Questions about saying how
How do you pronounce how?
Say HOW. The American pronunciation is /haʊ/. In British English it is /haʊ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in how?
How is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: HOW.
Do Americans and Brits say how the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /haʊ/ and the British form is /haʊ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as how?
How sounds the same as hao in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.