Pronunciation

How to pronounce “non

“non” is pronounced /nɑn/ (NAHN) in American English and /nɒn/ in British English — one syllable.
The sound

Say “non” in one beat

Say it like this

non

/nɑn/

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

1 beat
  1. nonnɑn
IPA (American)
/nɑn/
IPA (British)
/nɒn/
Respelling
NAHN
Syllables
1 — non
Stress
One syllable, so the whole word carries the beat — say /nɑn/ in one unbroken piece rather than clipping the vowel.
Part of speech
adverb
Difficulty
Beginner — most learners get this on the first take
Accents

American and British are not the same here

American

/nɑn/

British

/nɒn/

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

Meaning

What “non” means

  1. adverb

    negation of a word or group of words

    he does not speak French

Say it in a sentence

The center operates as a non profit organization for the whole community.
Sound by sound

The sounds inside this word

2 sounds, in the order you say them

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

Questions

non”, answered

How do you pronounce “non”?

“non” is pronounced /nɑn/ (NAHN) in American English and /nɒn/ in British English — one syllable. It is one unbroken piece — /nɑn/ — with no pause anywhere inside it.

How many syllables does “non” have?

One, despite the 1 vowel letters in the spelling. The whole word is /nɑn/ — a single beat.

Is “non” said differently in British English?

Yes. American English says /nɑn/ (NAHN); British English says /nɒn/. Both are correct — choose the accent you are learning and stay inside it.

What does “non” mean?

As an adverb: negation of a word or group of words For example: “he does not speak French”

Where is the stress in “non”?

One syllable, so the whole word carries the beat — say /nɑn/ in one unbroken piece rather than clipping the vowel.

Practise this word

Now say “non” 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.