How to pronounce then
Say it like THEN. Then 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 then. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- THEN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Then pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- THENSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of then
American and British speakers say then in essentially the same way: /ðɛn/ in the US and /ðɛn/ in the UK.
British respelling: THEN.
What does then mean?
- subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)“then he left”“go left first, then right”
- in that case or as a consequence“if he didn't take it, then who did?”“keep it then if you want to”
- at that time“I was young then”“prices were lower back then”
- that time; that moment“we will arrive before then”“we were friends from then on”
- at a specific prior time“the then president”
Where does then come from?
Cognate with Dutch dan (“then”), German dann (“then”), Swedish då (“then”), Icelandic þá (“then”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with then
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of then.
Questions about saying then
How do you pronounce then?
Say THEN. The American pronunciation is /ðɛn/. In British English it is /ðɛn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in then?
Then is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: THEN.
Do Americans and Brits say then the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ðɛn/ and the British form is /ðɛn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.