How to pronounce speaking
Say it like SPEE-king. Speaking has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SPEE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce speaking. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SPEE
- king
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Speaking pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SPEESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- kingKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of speaking
American and British speakers say speaking in essentially the same way: /ˈspikɪŋ/ in the US and /ˈspiːkɪŋ/ in the UK.
British respelling: SPEE-king.
What does speaking mean?
- the utterance of intelligible speech
- delivering an address to a public audience“people came to see the candidates and hear the speechmaking”
- capable of or involving speech or speaking“human beings--the speaking animals”“a speaking part in the play”
Where does speaking come from?
German sprechend (“speaking”).
Words that rhyme with speaking
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of speaking.
Questions about saying speaking
How do you pronounce speaking?
Say SPEE-king. The American pronunciation is /ˈspikɪŋ/. In British English it is /ˈspiːkɪŋ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in speaking?
Speaking has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SPEE). Broken into parts: SPEE · king.
Do Americans and Brits say speaking the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈspikɪŋ/ and the British form is /ˈspiːkɪŋ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.