How to pronounce southern
Say it like SUHTH-ern. Southern has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SUHTH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce southern. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SUHTH
- ern
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Southern pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SUHTHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
- ernKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of southern
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: SUHTH-un.
What does southern mean?
- in or characteristic of a region of the United States south of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line“southern hospitality”“southern cooking”
- situated in or oriented toward the south“a southern exposure”“took a southerly course”
- situated in or coming from regions of the south“the southern hemisphere”“southern constellations”
Where does southern come from?
By surface analysis, south + -ern.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying southern
How do you pronounce southern?
Say SUHTH-ern. The American pronunciation is /ˈsʌðɚn/. In British English it is /ˈsʌðən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in southern?
Southern has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SUHTH). Broken into parts: SUHTH · ern.
Is southern pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈsʌðən/ (SUHTH-un).