How many syllables are in “very”?

“Very” has 2 syllables: VEH-ree.

What is the IPA for “very”?

The American English IPA transcription of “very” is ˈvɛri.

How can I practice pronouncing “very”?

Press play to hear “very” spoken by our AI model, then record yourself on this page to get an instant pronunciation score — your first try needs no account.

American English pronunciation

How to pronounce very

/ˈvɛri/VEH-ree2 syllables

“very” rests on a consonant that's easy to swap for a near neighbour. It's 2 syllables (VEH-ree), 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 very, then record yourself and our AI model will score your pronunciation, sound by sound.

The sounds to nail

/v/as in very
Upper teeth on lower lip with voicing. Don't substitute /w/.
/ɹ/as in red
American /r/: bunch the tongue back and slightly up. Lips rounded. Don't tap the roof.

Trickier for some first languages

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

Russian speakers →French speakers →Indian English speakers →Chinese speakers →

Common questions

How many syllables are in “very”?: “Very” has 2 syllables: VEH-ree.
What is the IPA for “very”?: The American English IPA transcription of “very” is ˈvɛri.
How can I practice pronouncing “very”?: Press play to hear “very” 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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