How to pronounce “eighty”
Eighty is pronounced /ˈeɪtiː/. It has 2 syllables, and the beat falls on the first one — eɪ. 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 2 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 eɪ in the right place matters more to a listener than getting every vowel perfect.
Stress pattern Oo — capital letters mark the stressed beats.
The common mispronunciation of “eighty”
✗ Often said: /ˈeaɪtiː/ — the spelling, read straight off the page.
✓ Actually: /ˈeɪtiː/
Why the two come apart: the silent “gh” is not pronounced, even though the spelling begs you to say it; also, at least one vowel does not say what its spelling suggests — English vowel letters are not reliable here.
This is why reading English aloud from spelling alone goes wrong so often: the letters of “eighty” are not a reliable map of its sounds. The IPA is — each symbol stands for exactly one sound, every time.
“eighty” sound by sound
“eighty” 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.
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eɪStart at the /e/ position and glide upward and forward toward /ɪ/ — the jaw closes as you say it.
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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.
Silent letters in “eighty”
Letters you write but never say — this is the single biggest reason the word trips people up:
- ghThe letter “gh”Silent “gh” — write it, but do not let it reach your mouth.
Minimal pairs — words one sound away from “eighty”
Each of these differs from “eighty” 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 “eighty”
- How do you pronounce “eighty”?
- “eighty” is pronounced /ˈeɪtiː/, with the stress on the first syllable (eɪ). Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “eighty”?
- “eighty” has 2 syllables: eɪ · tiː. The stress pattern is Oo.
- What is the common mispronunciation of “eighty”?
- People read it off the spelling as /ˈeaɪtiː/, but it is actually /ˈeɪtiː/, because the silent “gh” is not pronounced, even though the spelling begs you to say it.
- Does “eighty” have any silent letters?
- Yes — silent “gh”.
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