How to pronounce seven
Say it like SEV-un. Seven has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SEV).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce seven. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SEV
- un
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Seven pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SEVSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- unKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of seven
American and British speakers say seven in essentially the same way: /ˈsɛvən/ in the US and /ˈsɛvən/ in the UK.
British respelling: SEV-un.
What does seven mean?
- the cardinal number that is the sum of six and one
- one of four playing cards in a deck with seven pips on the face
- being one more than six
Where does seven come from?
Cognate with Scots seiven (“seven”), West Frisian sân (“seven”), Saterland Frisian soogen (“seven”), Low German söven (“seven”), Dutch zeven (“seven”), German sieben (“seven”), Danish syv (“seven”), Norwegian sju (“seven”), Icelandic sjö (“
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
- vii
Words that rhyme with seven
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of seven.
Questions about saying seven
How do you pronounce seven?
Say SEV-un. The American pronunciation is /ˈsɛvən/. In British English it is /ˈsɛvən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in seven?
Seven has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SEV). Broken into parts: SEV · un.
Do Americans and Brits say seven the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈsɛvən/ and the British form is /ˈsɛvən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.