How to Pronounce Surprise

"Surprise" is not spelled the way it sounds. Its pronunciation is /səˈpɹaɪz/ in IPA and it has 2 syllables. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents — the audio is the reliable guide for a word like this.

surprise

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Accent

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Speed

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2

Syllables

8

Letters

/səˈpɹaɪz/

🇺🇸 IPA (US)

/səpɹˈaɪz/

🇬🇧 IPA (UK)

💡 Tip for remembering “surprise”

"surprise" has 2 syllables: surprise.

What does surprise mean?

noun

  1. Something unexpected.
  2. A mess of feces, left by a pet or small child in an unexpected place or at an unexpected time.

verb

  1. To cause (someone) to feel unusually alarmed or delighted by something unexpected.
  2. To do something to (a person) that they are not expecting, as a surprise.

interjection

  1. Drawing attention to a surprising action by oneself.
  2. Drawing attention to something that should have been obvious.

Keep practicing

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/r/ — r/ɜː/ — er/aɪ/ — long i

Read next: Long and Short Vowel Sounds in English

Frequently asked questions

How do you pronounce "surprise"?▾

"Surprise" is not spelled the way it sounds. Its pronunciation is /səˈpɹaɪz/ in IPA and it has 2 syllables. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents — the audio is the reliable guide for a word like this.

How many syllables are in "surprise"?▾

"Surprise" has 2 syllables.

What is the IPA transcription of "surprise"?▾

The IPA transcription of "surprise" is /səˈpɹaɪz/.

What does "surprise" mean?▾

Surprise: Something unexpected.

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