2 syllables: beg, gars. Stress on beg.
/ˈbɛɡɚz/
Say it backBeggars refers to people who beg or solicit money or goods, typically in public places. As a plural noun, it denotes multiple individuals engaged in begging; as a verb form, it is the third-person singular present of beg, meaning to ask for something earnestly or humbly. The term can carry negative or neutral connotations depending on context, often highlighting social or economic disparity.
Tips: Practice saying BEG-ers with crisp /ɡ/ release, then glide into a quick, relaxed second syllable. Use minimal pairs with “beger” (nonstandard) to hear the contrast, and record yourself to verify voicing on /z/.
"The beggars waited near the station, hoping for spare change."
"Charities work to support beggars by offering food and shelter."
"Some beggars are equipped with signs explaining their situation."
Pronounce as /ˈbɛɡərz/ (US) or /ˈbeɡəz/ (UK/AU). Primary stress on the first syllable. The first vowel is a short ε as in "bet," the second syllable uses a schwa in many speakers, and the final z is voiced. Mouth: begin with a bilabial stop /b/, followed by a low-mid front lax /ɛ/, then a soft /ɡ/ before a reduced /ər/ or /əz/. You’ll want a quick, light /ər/ before the final voiceless-voiced transition to /z/.
Common mistakes: mixing the /g/ as /dʒ/ or /dʒ/; misplacing stress as /ˈbeɡərz/ with a long vowel in the first syllable; pronouncing the final /z/ as /s/ or not voicing it. Corrections: keep the /ɡ/ as a hard plosive between vowels; maintain primary stress on the first syllable; ensure the final is a voiced /z/ with a brief vowel before it. Use a light, relaxed /ər/ before the /z/.
In US English, /ˈbɛɡərz/ with a clear /ɡ/ and a rhotic r in /ər/. In UK English, /ˈbeɡəz/ or /ˈbeɡəz/ with a more syllabic or schwa-like second vowel and a non-rhotic r. Australian English often merges vowels toward /ˈbeɡəz/ with a mild rhoticity, smooth /ə/ in the second syllable, and similar final /z/. Overall, US emphasizes /ɜr/ less rhoticity distinction; UK/AU show reduced postvocalic r and vowel quality shift in /ɛ/ vs /e/.
The difficulty lies in the consecutive consonants with a sustained /ɡ/ before a fast /ər/ or /əz/ cluster, and the need for accurate voicing on the final /z/. The second syllable often reduces to a schwa or a near-schwa, which can blur with the /ər/ sequence in rapid speech. Properly coordinating the /ɡ/ release with the following vowel and securing a voiced /z/ requires light jaw tension and careful voicing control.
A unique feature is the combination of a hard /g/ immediately before a reduced vowel and the final voiced /z/, which can be mistaken for an /s/ or mis-voiced. The presence of a stressed initial syllable /ˈbɛ/ plus the reduced second syllable /ər/ or /əz/ creates a characteristic rhythm: a strong beat on the first syllable, followed by a quick, lighter second syllable before the final sonorant /z/.
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US: /ˈbɛɡərz/ with rhotic /ɚ/ in the second syllable and a clear /z/ at the end. UK/AU: /ˈbeɡəz/ with a non-rhotic r and a more centralized second vowel; the /ə/ can near a schwa. - Vowel: US uses a lower /ɛ/; UK/AU may tilt toward /eɪ/ in some speakers in casual speech, but standard is /e/ or /ə/. - Consonant: All three share the /ɡ/ release; ensure a brief lift of the tongue for the /ɡ/ and avoid frication. - Rhythm: STRESSED-unstressed-stressed? Actually BEG-gars; keep primary stress on BEG-. - Final: Ensure /z/ is voiced; avoid devoicing to /s/.
Beggars comes from Middle English beggere, from Old English begeorra or benda, rooted in the verb beggen/bigan meaning to ask or beseech. The term is tied to begging as a social practice in medieval Europe, often associated with itinerant figures and alms. Over time, English adopted beggar to denote a person who begs money or food in public, with the plural beggars forming regularly in the 15th century. The semantic field broadened in modern usage to describe anyone who begs or solicits in a public or street context, and the phrase “beggar’s cant” alludes to slang used by beggars. The word carries varied social judgments and is frequently modulated by adjectives and context (e.g., “polite beggars,” “desperate beggars”). Its first known written usage appears in religious and legal texts of the 12th–14th centuries, reflecting centuries of association with charity, vagrancy, and street economies.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "beggars" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "beggars"
-ars sounds
-rs' sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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