How to pronounce twelve
Say it like TWELV. Twelve 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 twelve. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- TWELV
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Twelve pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- TWELVSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of twelve
American and British speakers say twelve in essentially the same way: /twɛlv/ in the US and /twɛlv/ in the UK.
British respelling: TWELV.
What does twelve mean?
- denoting a quantity consisting of 12 items or units
- the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
Where does twelve come from?
From Middle English twelve, from Old English twelf (“twelve”), from Proto-Germanic *twalif, an old compound of *twa- (“two”) and *-lif (“left over”) (i.e., two left over after having already counted to ten), from Proto-Indo-European *leyp- (“leave, remain”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
- xii
- dozen
Words that rhyme with twelve
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of twelve.
Questions about saying twelve
How do you pronounce twelve?
Say TWELV. The American pronunciation is /twɛlv/. In British English it is /twɛlv/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in twelve?
Twelve is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: TWELV.
Do Americans and Brits say twelve the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /twɛlv/ and the British form is /twɛlv/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.