How to pronounce “corps”
Corps is pronounced /ˈkɔːr/. 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 “corps”
✗ Often said: /ˈkɔːrps/ — the spelling, read straight off the page.
✓ Actually: /ˈkɔːr/
Why the two come apart: 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 “corps” are not a reliable map of its sounds. The IPA is — each symbol stands for exactly one sound, every time.
“corps” sound by sound
“corps” 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.
-
kRaise the back of the tongue to touch the soft palate, seal the air, then release it with a puff.
-
ɔːTongue low and back like /ɑː/, but round the lips and push them forward slightly; the sound is long and rounded.
-
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.
Words that rhyme with “corps”
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 “corps”
Each of these differs from “corps” 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 “corps”
- How do you pronounce “corps”?
- “corps” is pronounced /ˈkɔːr/. Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “corps”?
- “corps” has 1 syllable. The stress pattern is O.
- What is the common mispronunciation of “corps”?
- People read it off the spelling as /ˈkɔːrps/, but it is actually /ˈkɔːr/, because a consonant letter takes an unexpected sound value here, so reading it "as written" comes out wrong.
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.