How to pronounce “neighbor”
Neighbor is pronounced /ˈneɪbər/. It has 2 syllables, and the beat falls on the first one — neɪ. 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 neɪ 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 “neighbor”
✗ Often said: /ˈniːɡbɔːr/ — the spelling, read straight off the page.
✓ Actually: /ˈneɪbər/
Why the two come apart: the “gh” is silent and “ei” is the /eɪ/ of “day” — the first syllable is simply “nay”.
This is why reading English aloud from spelling alone goes wrong so often: the letters of “neighbor” are not a reliable map of its sounds. The IPA is — each symbol stands for exactly one sound, every time.
“neighbor” sound by sound
“neighbor” 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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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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eɪStart at the /e/ position and glide upward and forward toward /ɪ/ — the jaw closes as you say it.
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bPress both lips together and release them while the vocal folds are already vibrating, with no puff of air.
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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 “neighbor”
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.
Words that rhyme with “neighbor”
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 “neighbor”
Each of these differs from “neighbor” 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 “neighbor”
- How do you pronounce “neighbor”?
- “neighbor” is pronounced /ˈneɪbər/, with the stress on the first syllable (neɪ). Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “neighbor”?
- “neighbor” has 2 syllables: neɪ · bər. The stress pattern is Oo.
- What is the common mispronunciation of “neighbor”?
- People read it off the spelling as /ˈniːɡbɔːr/, but it is actually /ˈneɪbər/, because the “gh” is silent and “ei” is the /eɪ/ of “day” — the first syllable is simply “nay”.
- Does “neighbor” have any silent letters?
- Yes — silent “gh”.
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