If you want to improve your English, check out seven websites that can teach you how to pronounce an English word correctly.
English is the dominant language in business transactions. It is spoken almost all over the world and learning it properly is essential if you want to communicate outside the borders of your country. But do you speak English correctly? Do you have the right pronunciation? Do you emphasize where you need to?
Pronunciations create nuances. The way you say a word in English can be the difference between two or more meanings, which can sometimes cause you to be misunderstood. For example, if you don't know how to pronounce the word beach correctly. The following 7 websites will help you hear the correct pronunciations of difficult words and speak English fluently.
1. Google Search
Google Search allows you to learn the correct pronunciation with graphical aids. Try searching by typing the text “how do you pronounce ……. “, where in place of the periods put a word of your choice. Try tzatziki.
In addition to search, Google also offers pronunciation learning in Translate. Go to Google translate, type the word you want, and listen to it by tapping the speaker symbol.
Google will also soon bring the ability to practice and grade through a machine learning technology. The service has not yet come to Greece, but is expected soon.
Finally, Google has also developed a new feature in its Maps that allows you to hear the correct pronunciation of cities when you can't speak the language. This is a great tool for asking for directions correctly in a foreign country.
2. Howjsay
Howjsay , also gives you its compound, related, or derivative words.
The good thing about Howjsay is that each word from its database is individually pre-recorded and no synthetic speech is used. In other words, you hear a real voice. Howjsay supports both American and British accents.
During your search you can type one or more English words, separated by the ; symbol (e.g. cat; cut; cart), which is practical if you want to compare the pronunciation of several similar words.
3. Dictionary.com
Dictionary.com feed of the latest words from around the world. Right there, you can spot today’s most “wearable” words as well as slang you may not know.
On the site you will find everything from idioms, grammar tips, word games, etc. Every unknown word comes with pronunciation help. Dictionary is geared towards American English pronunciation, while its sister site Lexico is for British English.
4. Forvo
Forvo itself on being the world's largest pronunciation dictionary. It may be true, because the pronunciation guide is developed by its users. Register and you can add your own pronunciation to words.
If you're just looking to learn how to pronounce a word in English, enter your word and choose between British and American pronunciation. You can then hear how it's pronounced in English by various users around the world.
In addition to English, their database contains nearly 6 million words for over 390 languages, with recorded contributions from users rather than a machine. The full list of languages includes Esperanto, ancient Greek, and even Klingon!
Forvo allows all kinds of words, including swear words and words that are not suitable for minors. But they must be pronounced politely and be authentic dictionary words. Forvo also includes pronunciation of common phrases, which is a plus for any language learner.
5. PronounceItRight
PronounceItRight does something different. Instead of dealing with plain English, it offers words from the world of news and global communications .
For example, you might be looking to find out how to pronounce the Iranian politician “Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.” Or, how to correctly say the Italian appetizer “bruschetta.”.
PronounceItRight is a simple website, started by a journalist and professional translator. It's worth bookmarking just for its collection of pronunciations for words in categories like brands, cartoons, fashion, celebrity names, and more.
6. Names.org
Names.org correctly in English. And we're not talking about names like Jim, John, and Jane. But “Dylan” or “Genevieve” etc. Names.org is not a pronunciation site, but a database of names.
Each name leads to amazing information and statistics about it. You can find out how popular your name is or what it means.
You can use it to get ideas on how to baptize your newest family member!!! And while you're learning, why not submit your own pronunciation with the microphone on your computer.
7. YouTube
YouTube is the second most popular search engine after Google. You can't think of it as a "search engine" in the usual sense or even a pronunciation dictionary, but practically there is the possibility of using it as a pronunciation dictionary.
Search for: "How do you say [word]" or "How do you pronounce [word]".
Be sure to get some results with videos that tell the correct way to say this word in English. This method works extremely well for understanding the word, since most of the time, its meaning is explained with the relevant video you will find on YouTube.
In conclusion,
pronouncing English correctly can be a difficult task, since the same words can be expressed with two or more different accents (British, American, etc.). But with the right tools, and of course with some practice and familiarity, you can do it.
