How to pronounce “reproduce”
Reproduce is pronounced /ˌriːprəˈduːs/. It has 3 syllables, and the beat falls on the third one — duːs. 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 3 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 duːs in the right place matters more to a listener than getting every vowel perfect.
Stress pattern ōoO — capital letters mark the stressed beats.
The common mispronunciation of “reproduce”
✗ Often said: /ˈreprɑːdjuːk/ — the spelling, read straight off the page.
✓ Actually: /ˌriːprəˈduːs/
Why the two come apart: the silent final “e” (it lengthens the vowel instead) is not pronounced, even though the spelling begs you to say it; also, the stress lands on the third syllable (“duːs”), not on the first one — putting the beat at the front is the mistake almost everyone makes; also, the unstressed vowels flatten all the way down to /ə/ — English swallows them, so they never sound the way they are written; also, 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 “reproduce” are not a reliable map of its sounds. The IPA is — each symbol stands for exactly one sound, every time.
“reproduce” sound by sound
“reproduce” 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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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.
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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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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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əDo almost nothing: leave the tongue in its neutral resting position, mouth slightly open, and make the shortest, weakest possible vowel.
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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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uːPush the tongue high and back and round the lips into a tight, forward circle; hold it tense and long.
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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.
Silent letters in “reproduce”
Letters you write but never say — this is the single biggest reason the word trips people up:
- eThe letter “e”Silent final “e” (it lengthens the vowel instead) — write it, but do not let it reach your mouth.
Words that rhyme with “reproduce”
Same ending sound from the stressed vowel on — a good way to hear whether you have the vowel right:
Questions people ask about “reproduce”
- How do you pronounce “reproduce”?
- “reproduce” is pronounced /ˌriːprəˈduːs/, with the stress on the third syllable (duːs). Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “reproduce”?
- “reproduce” has 3 syllables: riː · prə · duːs. The stress pattern is ōoO.
- What is the common mispronunciation of “reproduce”?
- People read it off the spelling as /ˈreprɑːdjuːk/, but it is actually /ˌriːprəˈduːs/, because the silent final “e” (it lengthens the vowel instead) is not pronounced, even though the spelling begs you to say it.
- Does “reproduce” have any silent letters?
- Yes — silent final “e” (it lengthens the vowel instead).
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