How to pronounce “few”
Few is pronounced /ˈfjuː/. 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 “few”
✗ Often said: /ˈfuː/ — the spelling, read straight off the page.
✓ Actually: /ˈfjuː/
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 “few” are not a reliable map of its sounds. The IPA is — each symbol stands for exactly one sound, every time.
“few” sound by sound
“few” 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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fRest the upper teeth lightly on the lower lip and push air through the gap without voicing.
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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.
Words that rhyme with “few”
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 “few”
Each of these differs from “few” 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 “few”
- How do you pronounce “few”?
- “few” is pronounced /ˈfjuː/. Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “few”?
- “few” has 1 syllable. The stress pattern is O.
- What is the common mispronunciation of “few”?
- People read it off the spelling as /ˈfuː/, but it is actually /ˈfjuː/, because a consonant letter takes an unexpected sound value here, so reading it "as written" comes out wrong.
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