How to pronounce “answer”
Say “answer” in 2 beats
answer
/ˈænsɚ/
The voice you hear here is American; the British form is /ˈɑːnsə/ (see the table below), and a British voice is available in the app's settings.
- ansænstress
- wersɚ
- IPA (American)
- /ˈænsɚ/
- IPA (British)
- /ˈɑːnsə/
- Respelling
- AN-sur
- Syllables
- 2 — ANS-wer
- Stress
- Stress the first syllable: ANS-wer. “ans” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllable falls away from it.
- Part of speech
- noun, verb
- Difficulty
- Beginner — most learners get this on the first take
American and British are not the same here
/ˈænsɚ/
/ˈɑːnsə/
No audio here: sayit’s voice is American, so a British button would play the American word. Read the transcription instead.
Where “answer” goes wrong
- Often heard
“ANS-wer”
the w is silent: AN-sur
What “answer” means
- noun
a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation
“I waited several days for his answer”
- noun
a statement that solves a problem or explains how to solve the problem
“they were trying to find a peaceful solution”
- noun
the speech act of replying to a question
Say it in a sentence
“Nobody in the room could answer the teacher's last question.”“answer”, answered
How do you pronounce “answer”?
“answer” is pronounced /ˈænsɚ/ (AN-sur) in American English and /ˈɑːnsə/ in British English — 2 syllables, stressed on “ans”. Build it as ANS-wer, then run the first syllable a little longer than the rest and let the others reduce.
How many syllables does “answer” have?
2: ans · wer. The beat lands on the first, “ans”.
Is “answer” said differently in British English?
Yes. American English says /ˈænsɚ/ (AN-sur); British English says /ˈɑːnsə/. Both are correct — choose the accent you are learning and stay inside it.
What does “answer” mean?
As a noun: a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation For example: “I waited several days for his answer” It carries 2 other senses as well — all of them said the same way.
Where is the stress in “answer”?
Stress the first syllable: ANS-wer. “ans” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllable falls away from it.
Now say “answer” and see every sound
Record it once and sayit lines your audio up against the target sound by sound — what landed, what slipped, and what it sounded like instead.