How to pronounce speak
Say it like SPEEK. Speak 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 speak. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SPEEK
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Speak pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SPEEKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of speak
American and British speakers say speak in essentially the same way: /spik/ in the US and /spiːk/ in the UK.
British respelling: SPEEK.
What does speak mean?
- express in speech“She talks a lot of nonsense”“This depressed patient does not verbalize”
- exchange thoughts; talk with“We often talk business”“Actions talk louder than words”
- use language“the baby talks already”“the prisoner won't speak”
Where does speak come from?
Cognate with Scots speak, speik (“to speak”), Saterland Frisian spreke (“to speak”), West Frisian sprekke (“to speak”), Central Franconian sjprèche (“to speak”), Dutch and Low German spreken (“to speak”), German sprechen (“to speak”), Luxem
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with speak
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of speak.
Questions about saying speak
How do you pronounce speak?
Say SPEEK. The American pronunciation is /spik/. In British English it is /spiːk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in speak?
Speak is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SPEEK.
Do Americans and Brits say speak the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /spik/ and the British form is /spiːk/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.