How to pronounce “enough”
Enough is pronounced /ɪˈnʌf/. It has 2 syllables, and the beat falls on the second one — nʌf. 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 nʌf in the right place matters more to a listener than getting every vowel perfect.
Stress pattern oO — capital letters mark the stressed beats.
“enough” sound by sound
“enough” is built out of 4 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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ɪRelax the tongue slightly lower and further back than for /iː/, keep the lips neutral, and make it short and lax.
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nTouch the tongue tip to the ridge behind the upper teeth, lower the soft palate, and voice the air out through the nose.
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ʌKeep the tongue central and slightly low with a relaxed, neutral mouth — like a stressed, fuller version of the schwa.
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fRest the upper teeth lightly on the lower lip and push air through the gap without voicing.
Words that rhyme with “enough”
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 “enough”
Each of these differs from “enough” 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 “enough”
- How do you pronounce “enough”?
- “enough” is pronounced /ɪˈnʌf/, with the stress on the second syllable (nʌf). Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “enough”?
- “enough” has 2 syllables: ɪ · nʌf. The stress pattern is oO.
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