American English pronunciation
How to pronounce mother
“mother” leans on the English “th” sounds that many languages don't use. It's 2 syllables (MUH-thur), and the trick is in the sounds below — hear it, then say it back and let our AI model show you how close you landed.
Say it & get scored
Hear mother, then record yourself and our AI model will score your pronunciation, sound by sound.
The sounds to nail
- /ð/as in this
Voiced 'th'. Tongue tip lightly between teeth, vocal cords on.
- /ɝ / ɚ/as in nurse
The American rhotic vowel. Curl tongue tip up and back without touching the roof.
- /ʌ/as in cup
Relaxed central vowel (sometimes a schwa /ə/ when unstressed). Don't pronounce the full vowel in unstressed syllables.
Trickier for some first languages
The sounds in “mother” are common stumbling blocks for speakers of:
Common questions
- How many syllables are in “mother”?
- “Mother” has 2 syllables: MUH-thur.
- What is the IPA for “mother”?
- The American English IPA transcription of “mother” is ˈmʌðər.
- How can I practice pronouncing “mother”?
- Press play to hear “mother” spoken by our AI model, then record yourself on this page to get an instant pronunciation score — your first try needs no account.
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