How to pronounce “often”
Say “often” in 2 beats
often
/ˈɔfən/
The voice you hear here is American; the British form is /ˈɒfən/ (see the table below), and a British voice is available in the app's settings.
- ofɔstress
- tenfən
- IPA (American)
- /ˈɔfən/
- IPA (British)
- /ˈɒfən/
- Also accepted
- /ˈɔftən/
- Respelling
- OFF-uhn
- Syllables
- 2 — OF-ten
- Stress
- Stress the first syllable: OF-ten. “of” 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
/ˈɔfən/
/ˈɒfən/
No audio here: sayit’s voice is American, so a British button would play the American word. Read the transcription instead.
Also accepted
/ˈɔftən/Where “often” goes wrong
- Often heard
“OFF-tuhn”
the t is traditionally silent, though sounding it is now common
What “often” means
- adverb
many times at short intervals
“we often met over a cup of coffee”
- adverb
frequently or in great quantities
“I don't drink much”
- adverb
in many cases or instances
Say it in a sentence
“I often walk to work when the weather is dry and mild.”“often”, answered
How do you pronounce “often”?
“often” is pronounced /ˈɔfən/ (OFF-uhn) in American English and /ˈɒfən/ in British English, and /ˈɔftən/ is also accepted — 2 syllables, stressed on “of”. Build it as OF-ten, then run the first syllable a little longer than the rest and let the others reduce.
How many syllables does “often” have?
2: of · ten. The beat lands on the first, “of”.
Is “often” said differently in British English?
Yes. American English says /ˈɔfən/ (OFF-uhn); British English says /ˈɒfən/. Both are correct — choose the accent you are learning and stay inside it.
What does “often” mean?
As an adverb: many times at short intervals For example: “we often met over a cup of coffee” It carries 2 other senses as well — all of them said the same way.
Where is the stress in “often”?
Stress the first syllable: OF-ten. “of” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllable falls away from it.
Now say “often” 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.