Pronunciation

How to pronounce “standard

“standard” is pronounced /ˈstændɚd/ (STAN-duhd) in American English and /standəd/ in British English — 2 syllables, stressed on “stan”.
The sound

Say “standard” in 2 beats

Say it like this

standard

/ˈstændɚd/

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

2 beats
  1. stanstænstress
  2. darddɚd
IPA (American)
/ˈstændɚd/
IPA (British)
/standəd/
Respelling
STAN-duhd
Syllables
2 — STAN-dard
Stress
Stress the first syllable: STAN-dard. “stan” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllable falls away from it.
Part of speech
noun, adjective
Difficulty
Beginner — most learners get this on the first take
Accents

American and British are not the same here

American

/ˈstændɚd/

British

/standəd/

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

Meaning

What “standard” means

  1. noun

    a basis for comparison; a reference point against which other things can be evaluated

    the schools comply with federal standards

  2. noun

    the ideal in terms of which something can be judged

    they live by the standards of their community

  3. noun

    a board measure = 1980 board feet

Say it in a sentence

The hotel raised its standard for guest service last year.
Sound by sound

The sounds inside this word

6 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

standard”, answered

How do you pronounce “standard”?

“standard” is pronounced /ˈstændɚd/ (STAN-duhd) in American English and /standəd/ in British English — 2 syllables, stressed on “stan”. Build it as STAN-dard, then run the first syllable a little longer than the rest and let the others reduce.

How many syllables does “standard” have?

2: stan · dard. The beat lands on the first, “stan”.

Is “standard” said differently in British English?

Yes. American English says /ˈstændɚd/ (STAN-duhd); British English says /standəd/. Both are correct — choose the accent you are learning and stay inside it.

What does “standard” mean?

As a noun: a basis for comparison; a reference point against which other things can be evaluated For example: “the schools comply with federal standards” It carries 2 other senses as well — all of them said the same way.

Where is the stress in “standard”?

Stress the first syllable: STAN-dard. “stan” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllable falls away from it.

Practise this word

Now say “standard” 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.