How to pronounce “computer”
Computer is pronounced /kəmˈpjuːtər/. It has 3 syllables, and the beat falls on the second one — pjuː. 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 pjuː in the right place matters more to a listener than getting every vowel perfect.
Stress pattern oOo — capital letters mark the stressed beats.
The common mispronunciation of “computer”
✗ Often said: /ˈkɑːmpʌtər/ — the spelling, read straight off the page.
✓ Actually: /kəmˈpjuːtər/
Why the two come apart: the stress lands on the second syllable (“pjuː”), 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; also, at least one vowel does not say what its spelling suggests — English vowel letters are not reliable here; also, a consonant letter takes an unexpected sound value here, so reading it "as written" comes out wrong.
This is why reading English aloud from spelling alone goes wrong so often: the letters of “computer” are not a reliable map of its sounds. The IPA is — each symbol stands for exactly one sound, every time.
“computer” sound by sound
“computer” 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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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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mClose the lips, lower the soft palate and let the voiced air come out through the nose.
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pPress both lips together, build up air behind them, then release with a puff of air (aspiration) when the sound starts a stressed syllable.
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jRaise the front of the tongue high toward the hard palate as if starting /iː/, then glide straight into the following vowel.
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uːPush the tongue high and back and round the lips into a tight, forward circle; hold it tense and long.
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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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ərThe same r-coloured tongue shape as /ɜːr/ but weak, short and unstressed — the ending of "teacher", "doctor", "sugar".
Words that rhyme with “computer”
Same ending sound from the stressed vowel on — a good way to hear whether you have the vowel right:
Questions people ask about “computer”
- How do you pronounce “computer”?
- “computer” is pronounced /kəmˈpjuːtər/, with the stress on the second syllable (pjuː). Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “computer”?
- “computer” has 3 syllables: kəm · pjuː · tər. The stress pattern is oOo.
- What is the common mispronunciation of “computer”?
- People read it off the spelling as /ˈkɑːmpʌtər/, but it is actually /kəmˈpjuːtər/, because the stress lands on the second syllable (“pjuː”), not on the first one — putting the beat at the front is the mistake almost everyone makes.
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