How to pronounce “category”
Category is pronounced /ˈkætəˌɡɔːriː/. It has 4 syllables, and the beat falls on the first one — kæ. 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 4 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 kæ in the right place matters more to a listener than getting every vowel perfect.
Stress pattern Ooōo — capital letters mark the stressed beats.
The common mispronunciation of “category”
✗ Often said: /ˈkæteɡɔːriː/ — the spelling, read straight off the page.
✓ Actually: /ˈkætəˌɡɔːriː/
Why the two come apart: the unstressed vowels flatten all the way down to /ə/ — English swallows them, so they never sound the way they are written.
This is why reading English aloud from spelling alone goes wrong so often: the letters of “category” are not a reliable map of its sounds. The IPA is — each symbol stands for exactly one sound, every time.
“category” sound by sound
“category” is built out of 8 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.
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kRaise the back of the tongue to touch the soft palate, seal the air, then release it with a puff.
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æDrop the jaw noticeably, push the front of the tongue low and forward, and spread the lips — it is a flat, bright, fairly long American vowel.
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tTouch the tongue tip to the bumpy ridge just behind the upper teeth, block the air, then release it with a puff.
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əDo almost nothing: leave the tongue in its neutral resting position, mouth slightly open, and make the shortest, weakest possible vowel.
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ɡBack of the tongue seals against the soft palate and releases while the voice is already on — no puff of air.
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ɔːTongue low and back like /ɑː/, but round the lips and push them forward slightly; the sound is long and rounded.
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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.
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iːSpread the lips into a smile, push the front of the tongue high and forward, and hold the sound tense and long.
Questions people ask about “category”
- How do you pronounce “category”?
- “category” is pronounced /ˈkætəˌɡɔːriː/, with the stress on the first syllable (kæ). Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “category”?
- “category” has 4 syllables: kæ · tə · ɡɔː · riː. The stress pattern is Ooōo.
- What is the common mispronunciation of “category”?
- People read it off the spelling as /ˈkæteɡɔːriː/, but it is actually /ˈkætəˌɡɔːriː/, because the unstressed vowels flatten all the way down to /ə/ — English swallows them, so they never sound the way they are written.
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