How to pronounce thirty
Say it like THUR-dee. Thirty has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (THUR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce thirty. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- THUR
- dee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Thirty pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- THURSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
- deeGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of thirty
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: THUR-tee.
What does thirty mean?
- the cardinal number that is the product of ten and three
- being ten more than twenty
Where does thirty come from?
From Middle English thirty, metathetic alternant of thritty, from Old English þrītiġ, þrittiġ (“thirty”), from Proto-Germanic *þrīz tigiwiz (“thirty”, literally “three tens”), equivalent to three + -ty.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
- xxx
Words that rhyme with thirty
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of thirty.
Questions about saying thirty
How do you pronounce thirty?
Say THUR-dee. The American pronunciation is /ˈθɝˌdi/. In British English it is /ˈθɜːti/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in thirty?
Thirty has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (THUR). Broken into parts: THUR · dee.
Is thirty 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 /ˈθɜːti/ (THUR-tee).