How to pronounce loan
Say it like LOHN. Loan 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 loan. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- LOHN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Loan pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- LOHNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
American vs British pronunciation of loan
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: LOHN.
What does loan mean?
- the temporary provision of money (usually at interest)
- a word borrowed from another language; e.g. blitz is a German word borrowed into modern English
- give temporarily; let have for a limited time“I will lend you my car”“loan me some money”
Where does loan come from?
Cognate with Icelandic lán, Swedish lån, Danish lån, German Lehen (“fief”), Dutch leen (“fief”), West Frisian lien, North Frisian leen (“fief; loan; office”), Scots lane, lain, len, Old English lǣn.
Words that rhyme with loan
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of loan.
Words that sound like loan
Questions about saying loan
How do you pronounce loan?
Say LOHN. The American pronunciation is /loʊn/. In British English it is /ləʊn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in loan?
Loan is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: LOHN.
Is loan pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /ləʊn/ (LOHN).
What words sound the same as loan?
Loan sounds the same as lone in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.