How to pronounce schwa
Say it like SHWAH. Schwa is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
VoiceSpeed
Click the play button next to American to hear how to pronounce schwa. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
US American/ʃwɑ/SHWAH
UK BritishNo British transcription yet. The audio still plays in this accent.
- SHWAH
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Schwa pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SHWAHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
What does schwa mean?
noun
- An indeterminate central vowel sound as the "a" in "about", represented as /ə/ in IPA.
- The name of the Latin script letter Ə/ə.
- Alternative form of shva.
- To be reduced to schwa.
Words that rhyme with schwa
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of schwa.
Questions about saying schwa
How do you pronounce schwa?
Say SHWAH. The American pronunciation is /ʃwɑ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in schwa?
Schwa is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SHWAH.