How to pronounce taken
Say it like TAY-kun. Taken has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (TAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce taken. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- TAY
- kun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Taken pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- TAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- kunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of taken
American and British speakers say taken in essentially the same way: /ˈteɪkən/ in the US and /ˈteɪkən/ in the UK.
British respelling: TAY-kun.
What does taken mean?
- understood in a certain way; made sense of“a word taken literally”“a smile taken as consent”
- be affected with an indisposition“the child was taken ill”“couldn't tell when he would be taken drunk”
Where does taken come from?
Morphologically take + -n.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with taken
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of taken.
Questions about saying taken
How do you pronounce taken?
Say TAY-kun. The American pronunciation is /ˈteɪkən/. In British English it is /ˈteɪkən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in taken?
Taken has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (TAY). Broken into parts: TAY · kun.
Do Americans and Brits say taken the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈteɪkən/ and the British form is /ˈteɪkən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.