How to Pronounce Very

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

very

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

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Speed

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1

Syllable

4

Letters

/ˈvɛɹi/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “very”

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

Sounds exactly like: vary, verry, verri — easy to mix up when writing.

What does very mean?

adjective

  1. True, real, actual.

    “He tried his very best.”

  2. The same; identical.

    “He proposed marriage in the same restaurant, at the very table where they first met.”

adverb

  1. To a great extent or degree.

    “Not very many (of them) had been damaged.”

  2. Conforming to fact, reality or rule; true.

Synonyms

ilkselfsameeminentlyever somainmightysoreswithway tooactually

Hear “very” 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 very

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

extraordinarycontemporarycontrarysanctuarysolitaryarbitrarywaryordinarytarryemissarycarryancillary

Related words

realreallypreciseactualexistentselfsamesameidentical

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "very"?▾

"Very" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "very"?▾

The IPA transcription of "very" is /ˈvɛɹi/.

What does "very" mean?▾

Very: True, real, actual.

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