How to pronounce plan
Say it like PLAN. Plan 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 plan. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PLAN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Plan pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PLANSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of plan
American and British speakers say plan in essentially the same way: /plæn/ in the US and /plæn/ in the UK.
British respelling: PLAN.
What does plan mean?
- have the will and intention to carry out some action“He plans to be in graduate school next year”“The rebels had planned turmoil and confusion”
- make plans for something“He is planning a trip with his family”
- make or work out a plan for; devise“They contrived to murder their boss”“design a new sales strategy”
- a series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished“they drew up a six-step plan”“they discussed plans for a new bond issue”
- an arrangement scheme“the awkward design of the keyboard made operation difficult”“it was an excellent design for living”
- scale drawing of a structure“the plans for City Hall were on file”
Where does plan come from?
Borrowed from French plan (“flat surface, ground plot, map”), from Latin plānus.
Words that rhyme with plan
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of plan.
Questions about saying plan
How do you pronounce plan?
Say PLAN. The American pronunciation is /plæn/. In British English it is /plæn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in plan?
Plan is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: PLAN.
Do Americans and Brits say plan the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /plæn/ and the British form is /plæn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.