How to Pronounce Van

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

van

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

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Speed

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1

Syllable

3

Letters

/væn/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “van”

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

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

What does van mean?

noun

  1. A covered vehicle used for carrying goods or people, usually roughly cuboid in shape, longer and higher than a car but smaller than a truck/lorry.

    “The van sped down the road.”

  2. An enclosed railway vehicle for transport of goods.

verb

  1. To transport in a van or similar vehicle (especially of horses).
  2. (used in passive voice) Of law enforcement: to arrest (not necessarily in a van; derived from party van).

Hear “van” 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 van

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

deadpanspandivanclanmanpanfanqueancaravancatamaranharmattantran

Related words

caravanvanguardlorryminivantruckloadminibustruckbus

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "van"?▾

"Van" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "van"?▾

The IPA transcription of "van" is /væn/.

What does "van" mean?▾

Van: A covered vehicle used for carrying goods or people, usually roughly cuboid in shape, longer and higher than a car but smaller than a truck/lorry.

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