How to Pronounce Than

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

than

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

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Speed

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1

Syllable

4

Letters

/ðæn/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “than”

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

What does than mean?

adverb

  1. At that time; then.

preposition

  1. Introduces a comparison, and is associated with comparatives, and with words such as more, less, and fewer. Typically, it seeks to measure the force of an adjective or similar description between two predicates.

    “A player than whom none is more skillful.”

conjunction

  1. Used in comparisons, to introduce the basis of comparison.

    “she's taller than I am;  she found his advice more witty than helpful;  we have less work today than we had yesterday;  We had no choice than to return home”

  2. (obsolete outside dialectal, usually used with for) Because; for.

Hear “than” 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 than

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

deadpanrunshunspandivanclanstunmanonepanfanquean

Related words

whereasthenbesidesratherbecausethoughoncebeyond

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "than"?▾

"Than" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "than"?▾

The IPA transcription of "than" is /ðæn/.

What does "than" mean?▾

Than: At that time; then.

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