How to pronounce “obituary”
Obituary is pronounced /oʊˈbɪtʃuːˌeriː/. It has 5 syllables, and the beat falls on the second one — bɪ. 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 5 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 bɪ in the right place matters more to a listener than getting every vowel perfect.
Stress pattern oOoōo — capital letters mark the stressed beats.
The common mispronunciation of “obituary”
✗ Often said: /ˈɑːbɪtʌɑːriː/ — the spelling, read straight off the page.
✓ Actually: /oʊˈbɪtʃuːˌeriː/
Why the two come apart: the stress lands on the second syllable (“bɪ”), not on the first one — putting the beat at the front is the mistake almost everyone makes; also, 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 “obituary” are not a reliable map of its sounds. The IPA is — each symbol stands for exactly one sound, every time.
“obituary” sound by sound
“obituary” is built out of 8 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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oʊStart with mid-back, lightly rounded lips and glide toward /ʊ/, tightening the rounding as you finish.
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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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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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tʃStop the air with the tongue against the ridge, then release it slowly into a /ʃ/, so it is a stop plus a hiss glued into one sound.
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uːPush the tongue high and back and round the lips into a tight, forward circle; hold it tense and long.
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eHold the tongue mid-high and forward with the jaw slightly open and lips relaxed and unrounded.
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rCurl the tongue tip back (or bunch the tongue body up) without touching anything, round the lips slightly, and voice — the tongue must never tap the roof of the mouth.
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iːSpread the lips into a smile, push the front of the tongue high and forward, and hold the sound tense and long.
Questions people ask about “obituary”
- How do you pronounce “obituary”?
- “obituary” is pronounced /oʊˈbɪtʃuːˌeriː/, with the stress on the second syllable (bɪ). Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “obituary”?
- “obituary” has 5 syllables: oʊ · bɪ · tʃuː · e · riː. The stress pattern is oOoōo.
- What is the common mispronunciation of “obituary”?
- People read it off the spelling as /ˈɑːbɪtʌɑːriː/, but it is actually /oʊˈbɪtʃuːˌeriː/, because the stress lands on the second syllable (“bɪ”), not on the first one — putting the beat at the front is the mistake almost everyone makes.
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