How to pronounce “wages”
Wages is pronounced /ˈweɪdʒəz/. It has 2 syllables, and the beat falls on the first one — weɪ. 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 weɪ in the right place matters more to a listener than getting every vowel perfect.
Stress pattern Oo — capital letters mark the stressed beats.
“wages” sound by sound
“wages” 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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wRound and push the lips forward tightly, raise the back of the tongue, then glide immediately into the following vowel.
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eɪStart at the /e/ position and glide upward and forward toward /ɪ/ — the jaw closes as you say it.
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dʒThe voiced twin of /tʃ/: stop the air with the tongue at the ridge and release it into a voiced /ʒ/ buzz.
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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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zExactly the /s/ tongue position with voicing added, so the airflow buzzes.
Questions people ask about “wages”
- How do you pronounce “wages”?
- “wages” is pronounced /ˈweɪdʒəz/, with the stress on the first syllable (weɪ). Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “wages”?
- “wages” has 2 syllables: weɪ · dʒəz. The stress pattern is Oo.
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