How to Pronounce Captain

To pronounce "captain", say CAPT-ain — 2 syllables, IPA /ˈkæptən/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

captain

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

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Speed

Syllable by syllable — tap each one

Practice: Record & Compare

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2

Syllables

7

Letters

/ˈkæptən/

🇺🇸 IPA (US)

/kˈæptɪn/

🇬🇧 IPA (UK)

💡 Tip for remembering “captain”

Break "captain" into 2 beats and lean on "CAPT" — that's the stressed one. It rhymes with kapton and clapton, if that helps it stick.

Sounds exactly like: kapton — easy to mix up when writing.

What does captain mean?

noun

  1. A chief or leader.
  2. The person lawfully in command of a ship or other vessel.

    “The captain is the last man to leave a sinking ship.”

verb

  1. To act as captain
  2. To exercise command of a ship, aircraft or sports team.

Synonyms

masterskipperforemanstraw bosssupervisorCAPTCAPT.CPT

Hear “captain” in real sentences

Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.

Words that rhyme with captain

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

kaptonclaptonknapton

Related words

chieftainmasterskippercaptcomandante

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "captain"?▾

"Captain" has 2 syllables: capt · ain.

What is the IPA transcription of "captain"?▾

The IPA transcription of "captain" is /ˈkæptən/.

What does "captain" mean?▾

Captain: A chief or leader.

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