How to pronounce tongue
Say it like TUHNG. Tongue 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 tongue. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- TUHNG
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Tongue pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- TUHNGSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
American vs British pronunciation of tongue
American and British speakers say tongue in essentially the same way: /tʌŋ/ in the US and /tʌŋ/ in the UK.
British respelling: TUHNG.
What does tongue mean?
- a mobile mass of muscular tissue covered with mucous membrane and located in the oral cavity
- a human written or spoken language used by a community; opposed to e.g. a computer language
- any long thin projection that is transient“tongues of flame licked at the walls”“rifles exploded quick knives of fire into the dark”
- articulate by tonguing, as when playing wind instruments
- lick or explore with the tongue
Where does tongue come from?
The expected modern spelling, both phonetically and etymologically, would be tung.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with tongue
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of tongue.
Words that sound like tongue
Questions about saying tongue
How do you pronounce tongue?
Say TUHNG. The American pronunciation is /tʌŋ/. In British English it is /tʌŋ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in tongue?
Tongue is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: TUHNG.
Do Americans and Brits say tongue the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /tʌŋ/ and the British form is /tʌŋ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as tongue?
Tongue sounds the same as tung in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.