How to pronounce “collaborate”
Collaborate is pronounced /kəˈlæbərˌeɪt/. It has 4 syllables, and the beat falls on the second one — læ. 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 læ in the right place matters more to a listener than getting every vowel perfect.
Stress pattern oOoō — capital letters mark the stressed beats.
The common mispronunciation of “collaborate”
✗ Often said: /ˈkɑːlæbɔːreɪt/ — the spelling, read straight off the page.
✓ Actually: /kəˈlæbərˌeɪt/
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 (“læ”), not on the first one — putting the beat at the front is the mistake almost everyone makes; also, 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 “collaborate” are not a reliable map of its sounds. The IPA is — each symbol stands for exactly one sound, every time.
“collaborate” sound by sound
“collaborate” 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.
-
kRaise the back of the tongue to touch the soft palate, seal the air, then release it with a puff.
-
əDo almost nothing: leave the tongue in its neutral resting position, mouth slightly open, and make the shortest, weakest possible vowel.
-
lTouch the tongue tip to the ridge behind the upper teeth and let the voiced air flow around the sides of the tongue.
-
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.
-
bPress both lips together and release them while the vocal folds are already vibrating, with no puff of air.
-
ərThe same r-coloured tongue shape as /ɜːr/ but weak, short and unstressed — the ending of "teacher", "doctor", "sugar".
-
eɪStart at the /e/ position and glide upward and forward toward /ɪ/ — the jaw closes as you say it.
-
tTouch the tongue tip to the bumpy ridge just behind the upper teeth, block the air, then release it with a puff.
Silent letters in “collaborate”
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.
Questions people ask about “collaborate”
- How do you pronounce “collaborate”?
- “collaborate” is pronounced /kəˈlæbərˌeɪt/, with the stress on the second syllable (læ). Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “collaborate”?
- “collaborate” has 4 syllables: kə · læ · bər · eɪt. The stress pattern is oOoō.
- What is the common mispronunciation of “collaborate”?
- People read it off the spelling as /ˈkɑːlæbɔːreɪt/, but it is actually /kəˈlæbərˌeɪt/, because the silent final “e” (it lengthens the vowel instead) is not pronounced, even though the spelling begs you to say it.
- Does “collaborate” 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.