How to pronounce “either”
Say “either” in 2 beats
either
/ˈiðɚ/
The voice you hear here is American; the British form is /ˈaɪðə/ (see the table below), and a British voice is available in the app's settings.
- eitistress
- herðɚ
- IPA (American)
- /ˈiðɚ/
- IPA (British)
- /ˈaɪðə/
- Also accepted
- /ˈaɪðɚ/
- Respelling
- EE-dhur (UK EYE-dhur)
- Syllables
- 2 — EIT-her
- Stress
- Stress the first syllable: EIT-her. “eit” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllable falls away from it.
- Part of speech
- adverb
- Difficulty
- Beginner — most learners get this on the first take
American and British are not the same here
/ˈiðɚ/
/ˈaɪðə/
No audio here: sayit’s voice is American, so a British button would play the American word. Read the transcription instead.
Also accepted
/ˈaɪðɚ/Where “either” goes wrong
- Often heard
“one form is wrong”
Both EE-ther and EYE-ther are standard; Americans favour the first, Britons the second.
What “either” means
- adverb
after a negative statement used as an intensive meaning something like `likewise' or `also'
“he isn't stupid, but he isn't exactly a genius either”
Say it in a sentence
“You can either take the bus or walk down to the harbour.”The sounds inside this word
Each sound has its own page: where the tongue goes, what it is usually confused with, and words to drill it on.
“either”, answered
How do you pronounce “either”?
“either” is pronounced /ˈiðɚ/ (EE-dhur (UK EYE-dhur)) in American English and /ˈaɪðə/ in British English, and /ˈaɪðɚ/ is also accepted — 2 syllables, stressed on “eit”. Build it as EIT-her, then run the first syllable a little longer than the rest and let the others reduce.
How many syllables does “either” have?
2: eit · her. The beat lands on the first, “eit”.
Is “either” said differently in British English?
Yes. American English says /ˈiðɚ/ (EE-dhur (UK EYE-dhur)); British English says /ˈaɪðə/. Both are correct — choose the accent you are learning and stay inside it.
What does “either” mean?
As an adverb: after a negative statement used as an intensive meaning something like `likewise' or `also' For example: “he isn't stupid, but he isn't exactly a genius either”
Where is the stress in “either”?
Stress the first syllable: EIT-her. “eit” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllable falls away from it.
Now say “either” 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.