How to pronounce offer
Say it like AW-fer. Offer has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (AW).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce offer. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- AW
- fer
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Offer pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- AWSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- ferKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of offer
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: OF-uh.
What does offer mean?
- make available or accessible, provide or furnish“The conference center offers a health spa”“The hotel offers private meeting rooms”
- present for acceptance or rejection“She offered us all a cold drink”
- agree freely“She volunteered to drive the old lady home”“I offered to help with the dishes but the hostess would not hear of it”
- the verbal act of offering“a generous offer of assistance”
- something offered (as a proposal or bid)“noteworthy new offerings for investors included several index funds”
- a usually brief attempt“he took a crack at it”“I gave it a whirl”
Where does offer come from?
From Middle English offer, from Old English offrian (“offer or make a sacrifice”) rather than from Old French offre (“offer”), from offrir (“to offer”), from Latin offerō (“to present, bring before”).
Questions about saying offer
How do you pronounce offer?
Say AW-fer. The American pronunciation is /ˈɔfɚ/. In British English it is /ˈɒfə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in offer?
Offer has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (AW). Broken into parts: AW · fer.
Is offer pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈɒfə/ (OF-uh).