How to pronounce “system”
System is pronounced /ˈsɪstəm/. It has 2 syllables, and the beat falls on the first one — sɪ. 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 sɪ 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 “system”
✗ Often said: /ˈsɪstem/ — the spelling, read straight off the page.
✓ Actually: /ˈsɪstəm/
Why the two come apart: the unstressed vowels flatten all the way down to /ə/ — English swallows them, so they never sound the way they are written.
This is why reading English aloud from spelling alone goes wrong so often: the letters of “system” are not a reliable map of its sounds. The IPA is — each symbol stands for exactly one sound, every time.
“system” sound by sound
“system” 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.
-
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.
-
ɪRelax the tongue slightly lower and further back than for /iː/, keep the lips neutral, and make it short and lax.
-
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.
-
tTouch the tongue tip to the bumpy ridge just behind the upper teeth, block the air, then release it with a puff.
-
əDo almost nothing: leave the tongue in its neutral resting position, mouth slightly open, and make the shortest, weakest possible vowel.
-
mClose the lips, lower the soft palate and let the voiced air come out through the nose.
Questions people ask about “system”
- How do you pronounce “system”?
- “system” is pronounced /ˈsɪstəm/, with the stress on the first syllable (sɪ). Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “system”?
- “system” has 2 syllables: sɪ · stəm. The stress pattern is Oo.
- What is the common mispronunciation of “system”?
- People read it off the spelling as /ˈsɪstem/, but it is actually /ˈsɪstəm/, because the unstressed vowels flatten all the way down to /ə/ — English swallows them, so they never sound the way they are written.
Stop looking words up one at a time
You just looked up one word. PHONO puts the IPA above every word of whatever you are reading — in your browser, in a PDF, in any app — the moment you select it. An offline pronunciation dictionary, US and UK audio, one hotkey.