How to pronounce “important”
Say “important” in 3 beats
important
/ˌɪmˈpɔɹtənt/
The voice you hear here is American; the British form is /ɪmpɔːtənt/ (see the table below), and a British voice is available in the app's settings.
- imɪm
- porpɔɹstress
- tanttənt
- IPA (American)
- /ˌɪmˈpɔɹtənt/
- IPA (British)
- /ɪmpɔːtənt/
- Respelling
- im-PAWR-tuhnt
- Syllables
- 3 — im-POR-tant
- Stress
- Stress the second syllable: im-POR-tant. “por” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllables fall away from it.
- Part of speech
- adjective
- Difficulty
- Beginner — most learners get this on the first take
American and British are not the same here
/ˌɪmˈpɔɹtənt/
/ɪmpɔːtənt/
No audio here: sayit’s voice is American, so a British button would play the American word. Read the transcription instead.
What “important” means
- adjective
of great significance or value
“important people”
- adjective
important in effect or meaning
“a significant change in tax laws”
- adjective
of extreme importance; vital to the resolution of a crisis
“a crucial moment in his career”
Say it in a sentence
“It is important to drink enough water during the summer.”“important”, answered
How do you pronounce “important”?
“important” is pronounced /ˌɪmˈpɔɹtənt/ (im-PAWR-tuhnt) in American English and /ɪmpɔːtənt/ in British English — 3 syllables, stressed on “por”. Build it as im-POR-tant, then run the second syllable a little longer than the rest and let the others reduce.
How many syllables does “important” have?
3: im · por · tant. The beat lands on the second, “por”.
Is “important” said differently in British English?
Yes. American English says /ˌɪmˈpɔɹtənt/ (im-PAWR-tuhnt); British English says /ɪmpɔːtənt/. Both are correct — choose the accent you are learning and stay inside it.
What does “important” mean?
As an adjective: of great significance or value For example: “important people” It carries 2 other senses as well — all of them said the same way.
Where is the stress in “important”?
Stress the second syllable: im-POR-tant. “por” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllables fall away from it.
Now say “important” 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.