How to pronounce over
Say it like OH-ver. Over has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (OH).
VoiceSpeed
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce over. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
US American/ˈoʊvɚ/OH-ver
UK British/ˈəʊvə/OH-vuh
- OH
- ver
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Over pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- OHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- verKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of over
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: OH-vuh.
What does over mean?
adverb
- at or to a point across intervening space etc.“come over and see us some time”“over there”
- throughout an area“he is known the world over”
- throughout a period of time“stay over the weekend”
- having come or been brought to a conclusion“the harvesting was complete”“the affair is over, ended, finished”
- (cricket) the division of play during which six balls are bowled at the batsman by one player from the other team from the same end of the pitch
Where does over come from?
Doublet of uber, super, and hyper.
Questions about saying over
How do you pronounce over?
Say OH-ver. The American pronunciation is /ˈoʊvɚ/. In British English it is /ˈəʊvə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in over?
Over has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (OH). Broken into parts: OH · ver.
Is over 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 /ˈəʊvə/ (OH-vuh).