How to Pronounce Er

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

er

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

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Speed

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1

Syllable

2

Letters

/ɜː/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “er”

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

What does er mean?

verb

  1. To utter the word "er" when hesitating in speech, found in the phrase um and er.

    “He ummed and erred his way through the presentation.”

interjection

  1. Said when hesitating in speech.

Hear “er” 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 er

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

inferconcurstirdeferincurtransferslurspurdemurcurburrconnoisseur

Related words

erbiumprayevnevfathgethisstknm

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "er"?▾

"Er" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "er"?▾

The IPA transcription of "er" is /ɜː/.

What does "er" mean?▾

Er: To utter the word "er" when hesitating in speech, found in the phrase um and er.

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