2 syllables: bar, gained. Stress on bar.
BAHR-guhnd
/ˈbɑɹɡənd/
bargained is pronounced BAHR-guhnd (/ˈbɑɹɡənd/). It has two syllables (bar-gained), with the stress on "bar". Bargained is the past tense of bargain, meaning you have negotiated or reached a deal, typically exchanging concessions. It also implies a historical or hypothetical negotiation outcome. The term foregrounds the action of negotiating and settling terms, often with implications of compromise or price-related agreements.
Bargained is the past tense of bargain, meaning you have negotiated or reached a deal, typically exchanging concessions. It also implies a historical or hypothetical negotiation outcome. The term foregrounds the action of negotiating and settling terms, often with implications of compromise or price-related agreements.
- Commonly, speakers reduce or swallow the /r/ in rhotic versus non-rhotic contexts, yielding /ˈbɑːnd/ without the /r/. Correct by sustaining a light but audible /ɹ/ before the /ɡ/. - Another error is pronouncing two hard stops instead of smooth /ɡ/ and /d/, turning it into /ˈbæɡd/; fix by maintaining a single /ɡ/ and a voiced or lightly released /d/. - A frequent misstep is you overarticulate the /t/ or /d/ when linking to following words; keep the end crisp but natural, with the final /d/ released if followed by a vowel in the next word.
"We bargained with the seller to lower the price."
"She bargained for better terms in the contract."
"They bargained hard, but eventually agreed on a middle price."
Standard pronunciation is /ˈbɑːrɡnd/ in many dialects, with primary stress on the first syllable. In careful speech you’ll hear the /ər/ as a reduced schwa before the /ɡ/; in faster speech, the /ə/ can vanish, yielding /ˈbɑːɡnd/ or /ˈbɑːɡn̩d/. The final /d/ is clearly articulated in careful speech; in rapid speech it can be devoiced or swallowed, especially in American accents. Practice by isolating the /ˈbɑːr/ onset then adding /ɡ/ and a light /nd/ closure.
Common errors include misplacing the /r/ in non-rhotic accents (e.g., saying /ˈbæɡənd/), overarticulating the /g/ leading to /ˈbɑːrɡɡənd/, and dropping the /d/ at the end in connected speech. To correct: keep the /r/ clear after /ˈbɑː/, produce a single /g/ in /ɡ/, and release the final /d/ crisply; in rapid speech, allow the final /d/ to voice lightly or blend with a following sound rather than omitting it.
In US and UK, primary stress remains on the first syllable; US often reduces the second vowel more aggressively, yielding /ˈbɑːɡnd/ in casual speech, while UK typically maintains a clearer /ɡən/ syllable. Australian speakers may slightly flatten the /ɑː/ and reduce the post-consonant vowel, producing /ˈbɑːɡnd/ with a softer /n/ or a syllabic /n/ onset. Differences mainly involve rhoticity, vowel length, and the treatment of the second syllable’s vowel.
The challenge lies in combining a strong initial /bɑː/ with a tensed /ɡ/ cluster and a quickly reduced final /d/ in many dialects. Coarticulation between /r/ or /ɹ/ and /ɡ/ can create a blended sound, and rapid speech may swallow the /d/ or turn /ɡd/ into a single tap or stop. Focus on the sequence /ˈbɑːr-ɡnd/, ensuring the /r/ is distinct before the /ɡ/ and forcing a clear, final /d/ closure to preserve the tense ending.
The key nuance is maintaining the restore of the vowel in the first syllable for most dialects and ensuring the /r/ is not lost in non-rhotic varieties. Practically, you should produce a crisp /ˈbɑːr/ and a separate, lightly released /ɡnd/ cluster. In connected speech, the /ə/ can be reduced, but the consonants /ɡ/ and /d/ should remain audible to avoid sounding like /ˈbɑːɡn/ or /ˈbɑːɡənd/.
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- US: Rhotic influence means a more pronounced /ɹ/ before the /ɡ/. Vowel quality is broad /ɑː/ or /æ/ depending on speaker. - UK: Often less rhotic, clearer /ɡ/ with a softer /ə/ in the second syllable; keep /ˈbɑːɡnd/ with a light schwa if needed. - AU: Similar to UK but with flatter vowel heights; ensure /ɡ/ and /nd/ remain distinct; use a relaxed jaw and forward tongue position. IPA references help: /ˈbɑːɡnd/ across dialects with minor vowel shifts.
Bargain derives from the Old French bargainer, from baraginer, which meant to haggle or turn over terms of a deal. The root is likely from barag(in) (a barter or trade), with Germanic influences seen in related words across Romance and Germanic languages. In Middle English, the form bargaynen appeared, evolving into bargain as a noun and verb. By the 16th century, bargain had a well-established sense of negotiating terms of a sale or settlement. The -ed suffix marks the past tense in English verbs, yielding bargained to describe a completed negotiation. The word’s semantic shift from “to haggle over price” to “to secure terms by negotiation” reflects broader mercantile practices where social bargaining and price adjustment were common. Modern usage retains a sense of purposeful concession on both sides, often in commercial or legal contexts, while also appearing in informal settings to describe any negotiated outcome.
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Words that rhyme with "bargained"
-ged sounds
-ned sounds
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