How to pronounce “receipt”
Receipt is pronounced /rɪˈsiːt/. It has 2 syllables, and the beat falls on the second one — siːt. 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 siːt 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 “receipt”
✗ Often said: /rɪˈsept/ — the spelling, read straight off the page.
✓ Actually: /rɪˈsiːt/
Why the two come apart: the “p” is silent — it is “ri-SEET”, and the “ei” is the /iː/ of “see”.
This is why reading English aloud from spelling alone goes wrong so often: the letters of “receipt” are not a reliable map of its sounds. The IPA is — each symbol stands for exactly one sound, every time.
“receipt” sound by sound
“receipt” 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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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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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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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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iːSpread the lips into a smile, push the front of the tongue high and forward, and hold the sound tense and long.
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tTouch the tongue tip to the bumpy ridge just behind the upper teeth, block the air, then release it with a puff.
Silent letters in “receipt”
Letters you write but never say — this is the single biggest reason the word trips people up:
- pThe letter “p”Silent “p” — write it, but do not let it reach your mouth.
Words that rhyme with “receipt”
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 “receipt”
Each of these differs from “receipt” 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 “receipt”
- How do you pronounce “receipt”?
- “receipt” is pronounced /rɪˈsiːt/, with the stress on the second syllable (siːt). Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “receipt”?
- “receipt” has 2 syllables: rɪ · siːt. The stress pattern is oO.
- What is the common mispronunciation of “receipt”?
- People read it off the spelling as /rɪˈsept/, but it is actually /rɪˈsiːt/, because the “p” is silent — it is “ri-SEET”, and the “ei” is the /iː/ of “see”.
- Does “receipt” have any silent letters?
- Yes — silent “p”.
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