How to pronounce “idea”
Say “idea” in 3 beats
idea
/aɪˈdiə/
The voice you hear here is American; the British form is /aɪdiə/ (see the table below), and a British voice is available in the app's settings.
- aɪaɪ
- didistress
- əə
- IPA (American)
- /aɪˈdiə/
- IPA (British)
- /aɪdiə/
- Respelling
- y-DEE-uh
- Syllables
- 3 — aɪ-DI-ə
- Stress
- Stress the second syllable: aɪ-DI-ə. “di” 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
American and British are not the same here
/aɪˈdiə/
/aɪdiə/
No audio here: sayit’s voice is American, so a British button would play the American word. Read the transcription instead.
What “idea” means
- noun
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
“it was not a good idea”
- noun
your intention; what you intend to do
“he had in mind to see his old teacher”
- noun
a personal view
“he has an idea that we don't like him”
Say it in a sentence
“It was her idea to repaint the kitchen a bright yellow.”“idea”, answered
How do you pronounce “idea”?
“idea” is pronounced /aɪˈdiə/ (y-DEE-uh) in American English and /aɪdiə/ in British English — 3 syllables, stressed on “di”. Build it as aɪ-DI-ə, then run the second syllable a little longer than the rest and let the others reduce.
How many syllables does “idea” have?
3: aɪ · di · ə. The beat lands on the second, “di”.
Is “idea” said differently in British English?
Yes. American English says /aɪˈdiə/ (y-DEE-uh); British English says /aɪdiə/. Both are correct — choose the accent you are learning and stay inside it.
What does “idea” mean?
As a noun: the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about For example: “it was not a good idea” It carries 2 other senses as well — all of them said the same way.
Where is the stress in “idea”?
Stress the second syllable: aɪ-DI-ə. “di” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllables fall away from it.
Now say “idea” 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.