How to pronounce up
Say it like UHP. Up 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 up. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- UHP
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Up pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- UHPSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
American vs British pronunciation of up
American and British speakers say up in essentially the same way: /ʌp/ in the US and /ʌp/ in the UK.
British respelling: UHP.
What does up mean?
- being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level“the anchor is up”“the sun is up”
- out of bed“are they astir yet?”“up by seven each morning”
- getting higher or more vigorous“its an up market”“an improving economy”
- raise“up the ante”
- spatially or metaphorically from a lower to a higher position“look up!”“the music surged up”
- to a higher intensity“he turned up the volume”
- nearer to the speaker“he walked up and grabbed my lapels”
Where does up come from?
Cognate with Saterland Frisian ap (“up”), West Frisian op (“up”), Dutch op (“up”), German Low German up, op (“up”), German auf (“up”), Danish op (“up”), Swedish upp (“up”), Icelandic upp (“up”), Gothic 𐌹𐌿𐍀 (iup, “up”).
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying up
How do you pronounce up?
Say UHP. The American pronunciation is /ʌp/. In British English it is /ʌp/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in up?
Up is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: UHP.
Do Americans and Brits say up the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ʌp/ and the British form is /ʌp/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.