How to pronounce “password”
Password is pronounced /ˈpæˌswɜːrd/. It has 2 syllables, and the beat falls on the first one — pæ. 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 pæ in the right place matters more to a listener than getting every vowel perfect.
Stress pattern Oō — capital letters mark the stressed beats.
The common mispronunciation of “password”
✗ Often said: /ˈpæswɔːrd/ — the spelling, read straight off the page.
✓ Actually: /ˈpæˌswɜːrd/
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 “password” are not a reliable map of its sounds. The IPA is — each symbol stands for exactly one sound, every time.
“password” sound by sound
“password” is built out of 6 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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pPress both lips together, build up air behind them, then release with a puff of air (aspiration) when the sound starts a stressed syllable.
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æDrop the jaw noticeably, push the front of the tongue low and forward, and spread the lips — it is a flat, bright, fairly long American vowel.
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sHold the tongue tip near (not touching) the ridge behind the upper teeth and force a narrow stream of air down the groove of the tongue.
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wRound and push the lips forward tightly, raise the back of the tongue, then glide immediately into the following vowel.
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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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dSame tongue position as /t/ — tip on the ridge behind the upper teeth — but voice the sound and release it without aspiration.
Questions people ask about “password”
- How do you pronounce “password”?
- “password” is pronounced /ˈpæˌswɜːrd/, with the stress on the first syllable (pæ). Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “password”?
- “password” has 2 syllables: pæ · swɜːrd. The stress pattern is Oō.
- What is the common mispronunciation of “password”?
- People read it off the spelling as /ˈpæswɔːrd/, but it is actually /ˈpæˌswɜːrd/, because at least one vowel does not say what its spelling suggests — English vowel letters are not reliable here.
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