How to pronounce “before”
Before is pronounced /bɪˈfɔːr/. It has 2 syllables, and the beat falls on the second one — fɔːr. Below: the syllable split, native audio in both accents, the mistake people actually make with this word, and every individual sound in it explained.
Syllables and stress
Split it into 2 beats. The highlighted syllable is the strong one: say it louder, longer and a touch higher in pitch, and let the others fall away. English is a stress-timed language, so getting fɔːr in the right place matters more to a listener than getting every vowel perfect.
Stress pattern oO — capital letters mark the stressed beats.
The common mispronunciation of “before”
✗ Often said: /ˈbefoʊr/ — the spelling, read straight off the page.
✓ Actually: /bɪˈfɔːr/
Why the two come apart: the silent final “e” (it lengthens the vowel instead) is not pronounced, even though the spelling begs you to say it; also, the stress lands on the second syllable (“fɔːr”), not on the first one — putting the beat at the front is the mistake almost everyone makes; also, at least one vowel does not say what its spelling suggests — English vowel letters are not reliable here.
This is why reading English aloud from spelling alone goes wrong so often: the letters of “before” are not a reliable map of its sounds. The IPA is — each symbol stands for exactly one sound, every time.
“before” sound by sound
“before” is built out of 5 sounds. Say each one on its own first, slowly, then run them together at speed. Every sound links to a full guide with mouth position, the mistake learners make with it, and other words that use it.
-
bPress both lips together and release them while the vocal folds are already vibrating, with no puff of air.
-
ɪRelax the tongue slightly lower and further back than for /iː/, keep the lips neutral, and make it short and lax.
-
fRest the upper teeth lightly on the lower lip and push air through the gap without voicing.
-
ɔːTongue low and back like /ɑː/, but round the lips and push them forward slightly; the sound is long and rounded.
-
rCurl the tongue tip back (or bunch the tongue body up) without touching anything, round the lips slightly, and voice — the tongue must never tap the roof of the mouth.
Silent letters in “before”
Letters you write but never say — this is the single biggest reason the word trips people up:
- eThe letter “e”Silent final “e” (it lengthens the vowel instead) — write it, but do not let it reach your mouth.
Words that rhyme with “before”
Same ending sound from the stressed vowel on — a good way to hear whether you have the vowel right:
Questions people ask about “before”
- How do you pronounce “before”?
- “before” is pronounced /bɪˈfɔːr/, with the stress on the second syllable (fɔːr). Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “before”?
- “before” has 2 syllables: bɪ · fɔːr. The stress pattern is oO.
- What is the common mispronunciation of “before”?
- People read it off the spelling as /ˈbefoʊr/, but it is actually /bɪˈfɔːr/, because the silent final “e” (it lengthens the vowel instead) is not pronounced, even though the spelling begs you to say it.
- Does “before” have any silent letters?
- Yes — silent final “e” (it lengthens the vowel instead).
Stop looking words up one at a time
You just looked up one word. PHONO puts the IPA above every word of whatever you are reading — in your browser, in a PDF, in any app — the moment you select it. An offline pronunciation dictionary, US and UK audio, one hotkey.