How to Pronounce Private

To pronounce "private", say PRIV-at-e — 3 syllables, IPA /ˈpɹaɪvət/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

private

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

Syllable by syllable — tap each one

Practice: Record & Compare

Record yourself saying private, then compare with the target. Your audio stays on this device — nothing is uploaded.

3

Syllables

7

Letters

/ˈpɹaɪvət/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “private

"private" has 3 syllables: priv-at-e.

What does private mean?

noun

  1. A soldier of the lowest rank in the army.
  2. A doctor working in privately rather than publicly funded health care.

adjective

  1. Belonging to, concerning, or accessible only to an individual person or a specific group.

    Her address is private; you can't have it.

  2. Not accessible by the public.

    private property

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related words

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "private"?

"Private" has 3 syllables: priv · at · e.

What is the IPA transcription of "private"?

The IPA transcription of "private" is /ˈpɹaɪvət/.

What does "private" mean?

Private: A soldier of the lowest rank in the army.

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

Open “private” in the full dictionary →