How to pronounce hours
hours
/ˈaʊərz/
2 syllables, stress on the first
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There is a second pronunciation: /aʊrz/.
What to watch for
The h at the start is silent: the word begins with a vowel.
Hours, sound by sound
| /aʊ/as in now | Glide from “ah” to “oo”. One syllable. |
| /ər/as in bird | Lips relaxed, tongue in the middle of the mouth. Keep one steady sound. |
| /z/as in zoo | A voiced “z”. Do not turn it into “s” at the end of a word. |
More words with the /ɜː/ sound
- xavier/ˈzeɪvjər/
- worcestershire/ˈwʊstərʃər/
- zephyr/ˈzefər/
- hermes/ˈhɜːmiːz/
- xerxes/ˈzɜːksiːz/
- hyperbole/haɪˈpɜːbəliː/
- water/ˈwɔːtər/
- azure/ˈæʒər/
- uruguay/ˈjɜːəgweɪ/
- flour/ˈflaʊər/
Questions and answers
How do you pronounce hours?
Hours is pronounced /ˈaʊərz/ in American English. A second pronunciation, /aʊrz/, is also used.
How many syllables are in hours?
Hours has 2 syllables.
Which syllable is stressed in hours?
The first syllable: /ˈaʊərz/.
Is there a silent or unusual letter in hours?
The h at the start is silent: the word begins with a vowel.