How to pronounce were
Say it like WUR. Were 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 were. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- WUR
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Were pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- WURSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
American vs British pronunciation of were
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: WUR.
What does were mean?
- second-person singular simple past indicative of be How to pronounce be“John, you were the only person to see him.”
- plural simple past indicative of be How to pronounce be“We were about to leave.”
- simple subjunctive of be“I wish that it were Sunday.”
- Alternative form of wer (“man; wergeld”).
- The collective name for any kind of person that changes into another form under certain conditions, including the werewolf.
Where does were come from?
Inherited from Middle English were, weren, from Old English wǣre, wǣron, wǣren, from Proto-West Germanic *wāʀun, *wāʀīn, from Proto-Germanic *wēzun, *wēzīn, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂wes-.
Words that rhyme with were
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of were.
Words that sound like were
- we're
Questions about saying were
How do you pronounce were?
Say WUR. The American pronunciation is /wɝ/. In British English it is /wɜː/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in were?
Were is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: WUR.
Is were 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 /wɜː/ (WUR).
What words sound the same as were?
Were sounds the same as we're in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.