How to pronounce “independent”
Say “independent” in 4 beats
independent
/ˌɪndɪˈpɛndənt/
The voice you hear here is American; the British form is /ɪndɪpɛndənt/ (see the table below), and a British voice is available in the app's settings.
- inɪn
- depdɪ
- enpɛnstress
- dentdənt
- IPA (American)
- /ˌɪndɪˈpɛndənt/
- IPA (British)
- /ɪndɪpɛndənt/
- Respelling
- in-di-PEN-duhnt
- Syllables
- 4 — in-dep-EN-dent
- Stress
- Stress the third syllable: in-dep-EN-dent. “en” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllables fall away from it.
- Part of speech
- noun, adjective
- Difficulty
- Beginner — most learners get this on the first take
American and British are not the same here
/ˌɪndɪˈpɛndənt/
/ɪndɪpɛndənt/
No audio here: sayit’s voice is American, so a British button would play the American word. Read the transcription instead.
What “independent” means
- noun
a neutral or uncommitted person (especially in politics)
- noun
a writer or artist who sells services to different employers without a long-term contract with any of them
- adjective
free from external control and constraint
“an independent mind”
Say it in a sentence
“She has always been fiercely independent since she was young.”“independent”, answered
How do you pronounce “independent”?
“independent” is pronounced /ˌɪndɪˈpɛndənt/ (in-di-PEN-duhnt) in American English and /ɪndɪpɛndənt/ in British English — 4 syllables, stressed on “en”. Build it as in-dep-EN-dent, then run the third syllable a little longer than the rest and let the others reduce.
How many syllables does “independent” have?
4: in · dep · en · dent. The beat lands on the third, “en”.
Is “independent” said differently in British English?
Yes. American English says /ˌɪndɪˈpɛndənt/ (in-di-PEN-duhnt); British English says /ɪndɪpɛndənt/. Both are correct — choose the accent you are learning and stay inside it.
What does “independent” mean?
As a noun: a neutral or uncommitted person (especially in politics) For example: “She has always been fiercely independent since she was young.” It carries 2 other senses as well — all of them said the same way.
Where is the stress in “independent”?
Stress the third syllable: in-dep-EN-dent. “en” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllables fall away from it.
Now say “independent” 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.