How to pronounce payphone
Say it like PAY-fohn. Payphone has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PAY).
VoiceSpeed
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce payphone. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
US American/ˈpeɪˌfoʊn/PAY-fohn
UK British/ˈpeɪˌfəʊn/PAY-fohn
- PAY
- fohn
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Payphone pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- fohnGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "o" in go.
American vs British pronunciation of payphone
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: PAY-fohn.
What does payphone mean?
noun
- A public telephone that requires prepayment to operate, generally via the insertion of coins or a credit card.“I only had ten cents in my pocket, so I couldn't use the payphone to call a cab.”
Where does payphone come from?
From pay + phone.
Questions about saying payphone
How do you pronounce payphone?
Say PAY-fohn. The American pronunciation is /ˈpeɪˌfoʊn/. In British English it is /ˈpeɪˌfəʊn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in payphone?
Payphone has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PAY). Broken into parts: PAY · fohn.
Is payphone 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 /ˈpeɪˌfəʊn/ (PAY-fohn).