American English pronunciation

How to pronounce ship

/ʃɪp/ship1 syllable

“ship” hinges on a vowel that's easy to slip on. It's a single syllable, 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 ship, then record yourself and our AI model will score your pronunciation, sound by sound.

The sounds to nail

  • /ʃ/as in ship

    Tongue blade further back than /s/, lips slightly protruded.

  • /ɪ/as in kit

    Short and lax. Keep the tongue lower and more relaxed than 'iy' (sheep).

Trickier for some first languages

The sounds in “ship” are common stumbling blocks for speakers of:

Russian speakers →French speakers →Chinese speakers →

Common questions

How many syllables are in “ship”?
“Ship” has 1 syllable: ship.
What is the IPA for “ship”?
The American English IPA transcription of “ship” is ʃɪp.
How can I practice pronouncing “ship”?
Press play to hear “ship” spoken by our AI model, then record yourself on this page to get an instant pronunciation score — your first try needs no account.

Track your progress, free.

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How to Pronounce “Ship” · Crisp Speak