How to Pronounce Hear

To pronounce "hear", say HEAR — one syllable, IPA /hɪə(ɹ)/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

hear

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

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Speed

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1

Syllable

4

Letters

/hɪə(ɹ)/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “hear”

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

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

What does hear mean?

verb

  1. (stative) To perceive sounds through the ear.

    “I was deaf, and now I can hear.”

  2. (stative) To perceive (a sound, or something producing a sound) with the ear, to recognize (something) in an auditory way.

    “I heard a sound from outside the window.”

Hear “hear” 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 hear

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

seerheretierendearbuccaneereardisappearpuppeteerbieroverheartearequaere

Related words

listenlearndiscoverseetry

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "hear"?▾

"Hear" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "hear"?▾

The IPA transcription of "hear" is /hɪə(ɹ)/.

What does "hear" mean?▾

Hear: (stative) To perceive sounds through the ear.

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