Pronunciation

How to pronounce “rates

“rates” is pronounced /ɹeɪts/ (RAYTS) — one syllable.
The sound

Say “rates” in one beat

Say it like this

rates

/ɹeɪts/

The voice you hear here is American; a British voice is available in the app's settings.

1 beat
  1. ratesɹeɪts
IPA (American)
/ɹeɪts/
IPA (British)
/ɹeɪts/
Respelling
RAYTS
Syllables
1 — rates
Stress
One syllable, so the whole word carries the beat — say /ɹeɪts/ in one unbroken piece rather than clipping the vowel.
Part of speech
noun, verb
Difficulty
Beginner — most learners get this on the first take
Meaning

What “rates” means

  1. noun

    a local tax on property (usually used in the plural)

  2. noun

    a magnitude or frequency relative to a time unit

    they traveled at a rate of 55 miles per hour

  3. noun

    amount of a charge or payment relative to some basis

    a 10-minute phone call at that rate would cost $5

Say it in a sentence

The hotel raised its rates during the busy holiday season.
Sound by sound

The sounds inside this word

4 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

rates”, answered

How do you pronounce “rates”?

“rates” is pronounced /ɹeɪts/ (RAYTS) — one syllable. It is one unbroken piece — /ɹeɪts/ — with no pause anywhere inside it.

How many syllables does “rates” have?

One, despite the 2 vowel letters in the spelling. The whole word is /ɹeɪts/ — a single beat.

What does “rates” mean?

As a noun: a local tax on property (usually used in the plural) For example: “The hotel raised its rates during the busy holiday season.” It carries 2 other senses as well — all of them said the same way.

Where is the stress in “rates”?

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

Practise this word

Now say “rates” and see every sound

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