How to pronounce no
Say it like NOH. No 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 no. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- NOH
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
No pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- NOHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
American vs British pronunciation of no
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: NOH.
What does no mean?
- referring to the degree to which a certain quality is present“he was no heavier than a child”
- not in any degree or manner; not at all“he is no better today”
- used to express refusal or denial or disagreement etc or especially to emphasize a negative statement“no, you are wrong”
- a negative“his no was loud and clear”
- a radioactive transuranic element synthesized by bombarding curium with carbon ions; 7 isotopes are known
- (quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns for indicating a complete or almost complete lack or zero quantity of“we have no bananas”“no eggs left and no money to buy any”
Where does no come from?
Cognate with Scots nae (“no, not any, none”), Old Frisian nān, nēn ("no, not any, none"; > Saterland Frisian naan, neen (“no, not any, none”), North Frisian nian (“no, not any, none”)), Old Dutch nēn ("no, not any, none"; > Dutch neen (“no”
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with no
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of no.
Words that sound like no
Questions about saying no
How do you pronounce no?
Say NOH. The American pronunciation is /noʊ/. In British English it is /nəʊ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in no?
No is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: NOH.
Is no 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 /nəʊ/ (NOH).
What words sound the same as no?
No sounds the same as know in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.