How to pronounce “figure”
Figure is pronounced /ˈfɪɡjər/. It has 2 syllables, and the beat falls on the first one — fɪ. 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 fɪ 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 “figure”
✗ Often said: /ˈfɪɡjuːr/ — the spelling, read straight off the page.
✓ Actually: /ˈfɪɡjər/
Why the two come apart: the silent “u” after “g”/“q” is not pronounced, even though the spelling begs you to say it; also, the unstressed vowels flatten all the way down to /ə/ — English swallows them, so they never sound the way they are written.
This is why reading English aloud from spelling alone goes wrong so often: the letters of “figure” are not a reliable map of its sounds. The IPA is — each symbol stands for exactly one sound, every time.
“figure” sound by sound
“figure” is built out of 5 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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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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ɡBack of the tongue seals against the soft palate and releases while the voice is already on — no puff of air.
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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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ərThe same r-coloured tongue shape as /ɜːr/ but weak, short and unstressed — the ending of "teacher", "doctor", "sugar".
Silent letters in “figure”
Letters you write but never say — this is the single biggest reason the word trips people up:
- uThe letter “u”Silent “u” after “g”/“q” — write it, but do not let it reach your mouth.
Words that rhyme with “figure”
Same ending sound from the stressed vowel on — a good way to hear whether you have the vowel right:
Questions people ask about “figure”
- How do you pronounce “figure”?
- “figure” is pronounced /ˈfɪɡjər/, with the stress on the first syllable (fɪ). Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “figure”?
- “figure” has 2 syllables: fɪ · ɡjər. The stress pattern is Oo.
- What is the common mispronunciation of “figure”?
- People read it off the spelling as /ˈfɪɡjuːr/, but it is actually /ˈfɪɡjər/, because the silent “u” after “g”/“q” is not pronounced, even though the spelling begs you to say it.
- Does “figure” have any silent letters?
- Yes — silent “u” after “g”/“q”.
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