Pronunciation

How to pronounce “sum

“sum” is pronounced /sʌm/ (SUM) — one syllable.
The sound

Say “sum” in one beat

Say it like this

sum

/sʌm/

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

1 beat
  1. sumsʌm
IPA (American)
/sʌm/
IPA (British)
/sʌm/
Respelling
SUM
Syllables
1 — sum
Stress
One syllable, so the whole word carries the beat — say /sʌm/ in one unbroken piece rather than clipping the vowel.
Part of speech
noun, verb
Difficulty
Pro — the sounds are ordinary, the rhythm is where it slips
Meaning

What “sum” means

  1. noun

    a quantity of money

    he borrowed a large sum

  2. noun

    a quantity obtained by the addition of a group of numbers

  3. noun

    the final aggregate

    the sum of all our troubles did not equal the misery they suffered

Say it in a sentence

The sum was enough for a new roof and gutters.
Sound by sound

The sounds inside this word

3 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

sum”, answered

How do you pronounce “sum”?

“sum” is pronounced /sʌm/ (SUM) — one syllable. It is one unbroken piece — /sʌm/ — with no pause anywhere inside it.

How many syllables does “sum” have?

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

What does “sum” mean?

As a noun: a quantity of money For example: “he borrowed a large sum” It carries 2 other senses as well — all of them said the same way.

Where is the stress in “sum”?

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

Practise this word

Now say “sum” and see every sound

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