How to pronounce “ready”
Ready is pronounced /ˈrediː/. It has 2 syllables, and the beat falls on the first one — re. 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 re 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 “ready”
✗ Often said: /ˈriːdiː/ — the spelling, read straight off the page.
✓ Actually: /ˈrediː/
Why the two come apart: at least one vowel does not say what its spelling suggests — English vowel letters are not reliable here.
This is why reading English aloud from spelling alone goes wrong so often: the letters of “ready” are not a reliable map of its sounds. The IPA is — each symbol stands for exactly one sound, every time.
“ready” sound by sound
“ready” 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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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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eHold the tongue mid-high and forward with the jaw slightly open and lips relaxed and unrounded.
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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.
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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.
Words that rhyme with “ready”
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 “ready”
Each of these differs from “ready” 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 “ready”
- How do you pronounce “ready”?
- “ready” is pronounced /ˈrediː/, with the stress on the first syllable (re). Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “ready”?
- “ready” has 2 syllables: re · diː. The stress pattern is Oo.
- What is the common mispronunciation of “ready”?
- People read it off the spelling as /ˈriːdiː/, but it is actually /ˈrediː/, because at least one vowel does not say what its spelling suggests — English vowel letters are not reliable here.
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