English pronunciation · Words Starting with P
Perfect Pronunciation
Perfect is pronounced PUR-fikt, IPA /ˈpɝˌfɪkt/.
PUR-fikt
US /ˈpɝˌfɪkt/
Syllables: PUR · fikt (2 syllables, stress on syllable 1)
adjective and verb: As an adjective, having no faults at all; as a verb, to make something free of faults.
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Two Ways to Say Perfect
The pronunciation changes with the meaning or the part of speech. The form above is the most common; the others are:
- verb (to perfect something), per-FEKT: /pɝˈfɛkt/ (per-FEKT)
Perfect in a Sentence
- The weather was perfect all week.
- He spent two years perfecting the recipe.
- Nobody expects a perfect score.
Common Mispronunciations of Perfect
Not per-FEKT (for the adjective)
English uses stress to separate this pair. A perfect day opens loud, PUR-fikt, while to perfect a technique pushes the weight to the end.
Not PUR-fekt (for the verb)
The same rule in reverse: once you are perfecting something, the beat moves back and the second vowel opens up to a full fekt.
Tip: The adjective reduces its second vowel to fikt; the verb gives it a clear fekt. Record, present, and object behave the same way.
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