How to pronounce rain
Say it like RAYN. Rain 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 rain. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- RAYN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Rain pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- RAYNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of rain
American and British speakers say rain in essentially the same way: /reɪn/ in the US and /reɪn/ in the UK.
British respelling: RAYN.
What does rain mean?
- water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
- drops of fresh water that fall as precipitation from clouds
- anything happening rapidly or in quick successive“a rain of bullets”“a pelting of insults”
- precipitate as rain“If it rains much more, we can expect some flooding”
Where does rain come from?
Cognate with Yola rhyne, ryne (“rain”), North Frisian Riin, rin (“rain”), Saterland Frisian Rien (“rain”), West Frisian rein (“rain”), Dutch regen (“rain”), Limburgish raenger, Rään (“rain”), German Low German Regen, Ręgen, Rägen (“rain”),
Words that rhyme with rain
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of rain.
Words that sound like rain
Questions about saying rain
How do you pronounce rain?
Say RAYN. The American pronunciation is /reɪn/. In British English it is /reɪn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in rain?
Rain is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: RAYN.
Do Americans and Brits say rain the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /reɪn/ and the British form is /reɪn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as rain?
Rain sounds the same as reign, rein in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.