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How to pronounce "society"

society

Noun
American
/səˈsaɪəti/

Syllable Breakdown

so ci e ty

How natives say society

British
/səˈsaɪəti/

Syllable Breakdown

so ci e ty

How natives say society

Pronunciation Guide In American

Pronunciation Steps

  • Start with a soft 's' sound. Relax your tongue.

  • Move to the schwa /ə/ with a relaxed mouth.

  • Say 'sigh' /saɪ/ with stress. Drop your jaw for the /aɪ/ sound.

  • End with a soft 't' sound and a long /i/ sound.

Common Mistakes

  • Soc-iety (wrong stress)

  • Soci-eity (additional syllable)

  • Societ-y (missing schwa)

Pronunciation Guide In British

Pronunciation Steps

  • Start with a soft 's' sound. Relax your tongue.

  • Move to the schwa /ə/ with a relaxed mouth.

  • Say 'sigh' /saɪ/ with stress. Drop your jaw for the /aɪ/ sound.

  • End with a soft 't' sound and a long /i/ sound.

common mistakes

  • Soc-iety (wrong stress)

  • Soci-eity (additional syllable)

  • Societ-y (missing schwa)

FAQ

Why is the stress on the second syllable?

The stress is on 'sigh' to emphasize its importance in the word.

Is the 'c' pronounced like 'k'?

No, the 'c' is soft and sounds like 's'.

How do I make the /aɪ/ sound?

Start with an open mouth for 'a' and glide to a long 'ee' sound.

Definition

society

A group of people living together in an organized way.

Word Family

sociable

/ˈsoʊʃəbl̩/

adjective

Friendly, enjoys talking

Example: He is very sociable.

social

/ˈsoʊʃl̩/

adjective

Relating to society

Example: She has a busy social life.

sociologist

/ˌsoʊsiˈɑlədʒɪst/

noun

Someone who studies society

Example: The sociologist gave a lecture.

Key Pronunciation Differences

Society has four syllables and stress on the second.

Social has two syllables and stress on the first.

Sociologist has five syllables and different stress placement.

Pro Tips

Practice with a mirror

Watch your mouth shape to ensure accurate sounds.

Record and compare

Record yourself saying the word and compare to native speakers.

Nearby Words

Test Your Pronunciation On Words That Have Sound Similarities With Society

advocacy

[ˈædvəkəsi]

alley

/ˈæ.li/

associate

/əˈsoʊʃiˌeɪt/

charitable

/ˈtʃær.ɪ.tə.bəl/

charity

/ˈtʃær.ɪ.ti/

citizen

/ˈsɪtɪzən/

city

/ˈsɪti/

civic

/ˈsɪvɪk/

Other Categories

Test Your Pronunciation On Words Within Other Categories

adjoin

abroad

ability

agenda