How to Pronounce First

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

first

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 first, then compare with the target. Your audio stays on this device — nothing is uploaded.

Syllable

Letters

/fɪrst/

IPA

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

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

noun

The person or thing in the first position.
“He was the first to complete the course.”
The first gear of an engine.

adjective

Preceding all others of a series or kind; the ordinal of one; earliest.
“I was the first runner to reach the finish line, and won the race.”
Most eminent or exalted; most excellent; chief; highest.
“Demosthenes was the first orator of Greece.”

adverb

Before anything else; firstly.
“Clean the sink first, before you even think of starting to cook.”
For the first time;
“I first witnessed a death when I was nine years old.”

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

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

How many syllables are in "first"?▾

"First" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "first"?▾

The IPA transcription of "first" is /fɪrst/.

What does "first" mean?▾

First: The person or thing in the first position.

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