English pronunciation · Words Starting with U
Understand Pronunciation
Understand is pronounced uhn-der-STAND, IPA /ˌəndɝˈstænd/.
uhn-der-STAND
US /ˌəndɝˈstænd/ · UK /ˌʌndəˈstænd/
Syllables: uhn · der · STAND (3 syllables, stress on syllable 3)
verb: To know what something means or how it works.
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Understand in a Sentence
- I understand why she left.
- Do you understand the instructions?
- They understand each other without speaking.
Common Mispronunciations of Understand
Not UHN-der-stand
STAND is the loud beat, right at the end. Under on its own puts the push at the front, and the compound moves it to the opposite end.
Not uhn-der-STAHND
That stressed vowel is the flat a of cat in both American and British English. The long ah of father belongs to other words in this accent family.
Tip: Understand, understood, understood: the past swaps the a for a short oo and leaves the stress where it was.
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