How to pronounce “cit”
Cit is pronounced /ˌsiːˌaɪˈtiː/. It has 3 syllables, and the beat falls on the third one — tiː. 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 3 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 tiː in the right place matters more to a listener than getting every vowel perfect.
Stress pattern ōōO — capital letters mark the stressed beats.
“cit” sound by sound
“cit” 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.
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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.
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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.
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aɪStart with the mouth open at an /a/-like position and glide up toward /ɪ/, closing the jaw as you go.
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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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iːSpread the lips into a smile, push the front of the tongue high and forward, and hold the sound tense and long.
Words that rhyme with “cit”
Same ending sound from the stressed vowel on — a good way to hear whether you have the vowel right:
Questions people ask about “cit”
- How do you pronounce “cit”?
- “cit” is pronounced /ˌsiːˌaɪˈtiː/, with the stress on the third syllable (tiː). Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “cit”?
- “cit” has 3 syllables: siː · aɪ · tiː. The stress pattern is ōōO.
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