How to pronounce “learning”
Learning is pronounced /ˈlɜːrnɪŋ/. It has 2 syllables, and the beat falls on the first one — lɜːr. 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 lɜːr 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 “learning”
✗ Often said: /ˈliːrnɪŋ/ — the spelling, read straight off the page.
✓ Actually: /ˈlɜːrnɪŋ/
Why the two come apart: at least one vowel does not say what its spelling suggests — English vowel letters are not reliable here; also, 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 “learning” are not a reliable map of its sounds. The IPA is — each symbol stands for exactly one sound, every time.
“learning” sound by sound
“learning” 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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lTouch the tongue tip to the ridge behind the upper teeth and let the voiced air flow around the sides of the tongue.
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ɜːrHold the tongue central and bunched or curled back for the whole vowel, with the R quality present from beginning to end — it is one continuous r-coloured vowel, not a vowel plus an /r/.
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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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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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ŋRaise the back of the tongue against the soft palate as if for /ɡ/, but let the voiced air escape through the nose instead of releasing it.
Words that rhyme with “learning”
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 “learning”
Each of these differs from “learning” 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 “learning”
- How do you pronounce “learning”?
- “learning” is pronounced /ˈlɜːrnɪŋ/, with the stress on the first syllable (lɜːr). Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “learning”?
- “learning” has 2 syllables: lɜːr · nɪŋ. The stress pattern is Oo.
- What is the common mispronunciation of “learning”?
- People read it off the spelling as /ˈliːrnɪŋ/, but it is actually /ˈlɜːrnɪŋ/, because at least one vowel does not say what its spelling suggests — English vowel letters are not reliable here.
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