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Pronunciation

How to pronounce “computer”

“computer” is pronounced /kəmˈpjutɚ/ (kuhm-PYOO-tuh) in American English and /kəmpjuːtə/ in British English — 3 syllables, stressed on “put”.
The sound

Say “computer” in 3 beats

Say it like this

computer

/kəmˈpjutɚ/

The voice you hear here is American; the British form is /kəmpjuːtə/ (see the table below), and a British voice is available in the app's settings.

3 beats
  1. comkəm
  2. putpjustress
  3. ertɚ
IPA (American)
/kəmˈpjutɚ/
IPA (British)
/kəmpjuːtə/
Respelling
kuhm-PYOO-tuh
Syllables
3 — com-PUT-er
Stress
Stress the second syllable: com-PUT-er. “put” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllables fall away from it.
Part of speech
noun
Difficulty
Beginner — most learners get this on the first take
Accents

American and British are not the same here

American

/kəmˈpjutɚ/

British

/kəmpjuːtə/

No audio here: sayit’s voice is American, so a British button would play the American word. Read the transcription instead.

Meaning

What “computer” means

  1. noun

    a machine for performing calculations automatically

  2. noun

    an expert at calculation (or at operating calculating machines)

Say it in a sentence

“He fixed his sister's computer after it stopped working.”
Sound by sound

The sounds inside this word

7 sounds, in the order you say them
kkəschwa×2mmppjyulong oott

Each sound has its own page: where the tongue goes, what it is usually confused with, and words to drill it on.

Questions

“computer”, answered

How do you pronounce “computer”?

“computer” is pronounced /kəmˈpjutɚ/ (kuhm-PYOO-tuh) in American English and /kəmpjuːtə/ in British English — 3 syllables, stressed on “put”. Build it as com-PUT-er, then run the second syllable a little longer than the rest and let the others reduce.

How many syllables does “computer” have?

3: com · put · er. The beat lands on the second, “put”.

Is “computer” said differently in British English?

Yes. American English says /kəmˈpjutɚ/ (kuhm-PYOO-tuh); British English says /kəmpjuːtə/. Both are correct — choose the accent you are learning and stay inside it.

What does “computer” mean?

As a noun: a machine for performing calculations automatically For example: “He fixed his sister's computer after it stopped working.” It carries 1 other sense as well — all of them said the same way.

Where is the stress in “computer”?

Stress the second syllable: com-PUT-er. “put” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllables fall away from it.

Practise this word

Now say “computer” and see every sound

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