How to pronounce when
Say it like WEN. When 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 when. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- WEN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
When pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- WENSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of when
American and British speakers say when in essentially the same way: /wɛn/ in the US and /wɛn/ in the UK.
British respelling: WEN.
Other ways to say when
When also has these pronunciations, usually with a different meaning or use:
- WIN /wɪn/
- HWIN /hwɪn/
What does when mean?
- At what time? At which time? Upon which occasion or circumstance? Used to introduce direct or indirect questions about time.“When will they arrive?”
- At an earlier time and under different, usually less favorable, circumstances.“He's mister high and mighty now, but I remember him when.”
- At which, on which, during which: often omitted or replaced with that.“That was the day when the Twin Towers fell.”
- At (or as soon as) that time that; at the (or any and every) time that; if.“Pavlov's dogs salivate when [i.e. at any and every time that] they hear a bell.”
- During the time that; at the time of the action of the following clause or participle phrase.“They dream when [i.e. during the time that] they sleep.”
- At what time; at which time.“I am here till Friday, when [i.e. at which time] I leave for Senegal.”
- What time; which time.“Since when do I need your permission?”
Where does when come from?
Interjection sense: a playful misunderstanding of "say when" (i.e.
Words that rhyme with when
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of when.
Words that sound like when
Questions about saying when
How do you pronounce when?
Say WEN. The American pronunciation is /wɛn/. In British English it is /wɛn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in when?
When is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: WEN.
Do Americans and Brits say when the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /wɛn/ and the British form is /wɛn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as when?
When sounds the same as wen in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.