How to pronounce “purpose”
Say “purpose” in 2 beats
purpose
/ˈpɝpəs/
The voice you hear here is American; the British form is /pɜːpəs/ (see the table below), and a British voice is available in the app's settings.
- pɝpɝstress
- pəspəs
- IPA (American)
- /ˈpɝpəs/
- IPA (British)
- /pɜːpəs/
- Respelling
- PUR-puhs
- Syllables
- 2 — Pɝ-pəs
- Stress
- Stress the first syllable: Pɝ-pəs. “pɝ” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllable falls away from it.
- Part of speech
- noun, verb
- Difficulty
- Beginner — most learners get this on the first take
American and British are not the same here
/ˈpɝpəs/
/pɜːpəs/
No audio here: sayit’s voice is American, so a British button would play the American word. Read the transcription instead.
What “purpose” means
- noun
an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
“his intent was to provide a new translation”
- noun
what something is used for
“the function of an auger is to bore holes”
- noun
the quality of being determined to do or achieve something; firmness of purpose
“his determination showed in his every movement”
Say it in a sentence
“The charity's purpose is to help struggling local families.”“purpose”, answered
How do you pronounce “purpose”?
“purpose” is pronounced /ˈpɝpəs/ (PUR-puhs) in American English and /pɜːpəs/ in British English — 2 syllables, stressed on “pɝ”. Build it as Pɝ-pəs, then run the first syllable a little longer than the rest and let the others reduce.
How many syllables does “purpose” have?
2: pɝ · pəs. The beat lands on the first, “pɝ”.
Is “purpose” said differently in British English?
Yes. American English says /ˈpɝpəs/ (PUR-puhs); British English says /pɜːpəs/. Both are correct — choose the accent you are learning and stay inside it.
What does “purpose” mean?
As a noun: an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions For example: “his intent was to provide a new translation” It carries 2 other senses as well — all of them said the same way.
Where is the stress in “purpose”?
Stress the first syllable: Pɝ-pəs. “pɝ” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllable falls away from it.
Now say “purpose” 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.