How to pronounce “system”
Say “system” in 2 beats
system
/ˈsɪstəm/
The voice you hear here is American; the British form is /sɪstəm/ (see the table below), and a British voice is available in the app's settings.
- syssɪstress
- temstəm
- IPA (American)
- /ˈsɪstəm/
- IPA (British)
- /sɪstəm/
- Respelling
- SI-stuhm
- Syllables
- 2 — SYS-tem
- Stress
- Stress the first syllable: SYS-tem. “sys” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllable falls away from it.
- Part of speech
- noun
- Difficulty
- Beginner — most learners get this on the first take
American and British are not the same here
/ˈsɪstəm/
/sɪstəm/
No audio here: sayit’s voice is American, so a British button would play the American word. Read the transcription instead.
What “system” means
- noun
instrumentality that combines interrelated interacting artifacts designed to work as a coherent entity
“he bought a new stereo system”
- noun
a group of independent but interrelated elements comprising a unified whole
“a vast system of production and distribution and consumption keep the country going”
- noun
(physical chemistry) a sample of matter in which substances in different phases are in equilibrium
“in a static system oil cannot be replaced by water on a surface”
Say it in a sentence
“The old heating system finally broke down last winter.”“system”, answered
How do you pronounce “system”?
“system” is pronounced /ˈsɪstəm/ (SI-stuhm) in American English and /sɪstəm/ in British English — 2 syllables, stressed on “sys”. Build it as SYS-tem, then run the first syllable a little longer than the rest and let the others reduce.
How many syllables does “system” have?
2: sys · tem. The beat lands on the first, “sys”.
Is “system” said differently in British English?
Yes. American English says /ˈsɪstəm/ (SI-stuhm); British English says /sɪstəm/. Both are correct — choose the accent you are learning and stay inside it.
What does “system” mean?
As a noun: instrumentality that combines interrelated interacting artifacts designed to work as a coherent entity For example: “he bought a new stereo system” It carries 2 other senses as well — all of them said the same way.
Where is the stress in “system”?
Stress the first syllable: SYS-tem. “sys” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllable falls away from it.
Now say “system” 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.