How to Pronounce Don't

To pronounce "don't", say DONT — one syllable, IPA /dəʊnt/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

don't

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

If an accent sounds the same, your device is missing that voice — it falls back to the closest one.

Speed

Practice: Record & Compare

Record yourself saying don't, then compare with the target. Your audio stays on this device — nothing is uploaded.

1

Syllable

5

Letters

/dəʊnt/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “don't”

"don't" is a single-syllable word — say it in one clean beat.

What does don't mean?

noun

  1. Something that must not be done (usually in the phrase dos and don'ts).

interjection

  1. Stop!, Don't touch that!

Antonyms

do

Hear “don't” in real sentences

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

Related words

capodiddonneddonningjuannotrostovwear

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "don't"?▾

"Don't" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "don't"?▾

The IPA transcription of "don't" is /dəʊnt/.

What does "don't" mean?▾

Don't: Something that must not be done (usually in the phrase dos and don'ts).

Want the definition, translations into 8 languages, and read-aloud for full sentences?

Open “don't” in the full dictionary →