How to pronounce “cirque”
Cirque is pronounced /ˈsɜːrk/. It has 1 syllable. 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 1 beat. It is a single beat — one vowel, said in one push of breath.
Stress pattern O — capital letters mark the stressed beats.
The common mispronunciation of “cirque”
✗ Often said: /ˈkɜːrkwe/ — the spelling, read straight off the page.
✓ Actually: /ˈsɜːrk/
Why the two come apart: the silent “u” after “g”/“q” is not pronounced, even though the spelling begs you to say it.
This is why reading English aloud from spelling alone goes wrong so often: the letters of “cirque” are not a reliable map of its sounds. The IPA is — each symbol stands for exactly one sound, every time.
“cirque” sound by sound
“cirque” is built out of 3 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.
-
sHold the tongue tip near (not touching) the ridge behind the upper teeth and force a narrow stream of air down the groove of the tongue.
-
ɜːrHold the tongue central and bunched or curled back for the whole vowel, with the R quality present from beginning to end — it is one continuous r-coloured vowel, not a vowel plus an /r/.
-
kRaise the back of the tongue to touch the soft palate, seal the air, then release it with a puff.
Silent letters in “cirque”
Letters you write but never say — this is the single biggest reason the word trips people up:
- uThe letter “u”Silent “u” after “g”/“q” — write it, but do not let it reach your mouth.
Words that rhyme with “cirque”
Same ending sound from the stressed vowel on — a good way to hear whether you have the vowel right:
Minimal pairs — words one sound away from “cirque”
Each of these differs from “cirque” by exactly one sound. If you can say both of a pair and hear the difference, that sound is under control:
Questions people ask about “cirque”
- How do you pronounce “cirque”?
- “cirque” is pronounced /ˈsɜːrk/. Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “cirque”?
- “cirque” has 1 syllable. The stress pattern is O.
- What is the common mispronunciation of “cirque”?
- People read it off the spelling as /ˈkɜːrkwe/, but it is actually /ˈsɜːrk/, because the silent “u” after “g”/“q” is not pronounced, even though the spelling begs you to say it.
- Does “cirque” have any silent letters?
- Yes — silent “u” after “g”/“q”.
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.