How to Pronounce Could

To pronounce "could", say COULD — one syllable, IPA /kʊd/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

could

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

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Speed

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1

Syllable

5

Letters

/kʊd/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “could”

"could" is a single-syllable word — say it in one clean beat. It rhymes with good and livelihood, if that helps it stick.

What does could mean?

verb

  1. (auxiliary verb, defective) To know how to; to be able to.

    “She can speak English, French, and German.   I can play football.   Can you remember your fifth birthday?”

  2. (modal auxiliary verb, defective) May; to be permitted or enabled to.

    “You can go outside and play when you're finished with your homework.   Can I use your pen?”

noun

  1. Something that could happen, or could be the case, under different circumstances; a potentiality.

Synonyms

be able tocognizegrokkenmay

Antonyms

can'tcannotcan’t

Hear “could” 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 could

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

goodlivelihoodfalsehoodhoodbrotherhoodmisunderstoodneighborhoodshouldlikelihoodknighthoodunderstoodhardwood

Related words

mightpossiblelikelymaybeoughtpotentialhowmind

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "could"?▾

"Could" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "could"?▾

The IPA transcription of "could" is /kʊd/.

What does "could" mean?▾

Could: (auxiliary verb, defective) To know how to; to be able to.

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