2 syllables: bit, ten. Stress on bit.
BIT-uhn
/ˈbɪtən/
bitten is pronounced BIT-uhn (/ˈbɪtən/). It has two syllables (bit-ten), with the stress on "bit". Bitten is the past participle and simple past form of bite, meaning someone has taken a bite or has been bitten. In pronunciation, it is a two-syllable word with a light, unstressed final -en, typically pronounced as BIH-t'n or BIH-tən in careful speech, but commonly as BIH-dən in rapid speech; the vowel quality and final consonant can shift with accent. The core is the /bɪt/ onset followed by a reduced or syllabic nasal or schwa, depending on pace and register.
Bitten is the past participle and simple past form of bite, meaning someone has taken a bite or has been bitten. In pronunciation, it is a two-syllable word with a light, unstressed final -en, typically pronounced as BIH-t'n or BIH-tən in careful speech, but commonly as BIH-dən in rapid speech; the vowel quality and final consonant can shift with accent. The core is the /bɪt/ onset followed by a reduced or syllabic nasal or schwa, depending on pace and register.
"I was bitten by a dog last week, but I’m okay now."
"The apple was bitten because a worm was inside."
"Someone left a note that you’d been bitten in the game."
Pronounce it as two syllables: /ˈbɪ.tən/ in careful speech, with the first syllable stressed. The /bɪ/ has a short, lax i as in hit; the /t/ is a clear, voiceless alveolar stop; the final is a reduced -ən or a syllabic /n̩/ in fast speech. In American and British speech you’ll hear /ˈbɪtən/ or /ˈbɪt.n̩/, with little or no vowel in the final position. Practice by saying ‘bit’ and then lightly releasing the final nasal with a quick, soft vowel—keep your jaw relaxed and let the t be crisp before the reduced ending.
Common errors include over-pronouncing the final -en as a full vowel like ‘een’ (/ˈbɪtiːn/) and inserting an extra syllable, or misplacing the stress by saying /ˈbɪtɛn/ with an extra syllable. Another frequent error is pronouncing a full /e/ in the final syllable instead of a reduced /ən/ or /n̩/. Correct by ending with a light /ən/ or syllabic /n̩/, keeping the first syllable crisp: /ˈbɪ.tən/ or /ˈbɪt.n̩/ depending on context.
In US English you’ll typically hear /ˈbɪtən/ with a short, unstressed final vowel and a crisp /t/. UK English often mirrors this, but you may hear a slightly more pronounced /ə/ in fast speech, giving /ˈbɪ.tən/. Australian English is similar but may show a mild flattening of the final vowel and a touch more nasalization in connected speech, still favoring /ˈbɪt.n̩/ in rapid speech. Overall, rhoticity is not a major factor here; the key remains the stressed first syllable and a reduced final.-
The difficulty comes from the diphthongless vowel in the second syllable and the transition from a sharp /t/ to a reduced ending. The /t/ can be tense against a quick /ən/ or /n̩/ and may lead to a slotted or aspirated release, especially in fast speech. Concentrate on a crisp, short /t/ and relax the jaw for the final schwa or syllabic nasal; this creates a natural, native-like ending across dialects.
Bitten hinges on two cues: a steady, stressed first syllable and a relaxed, reduced second syllable. Focus on the transition from /t/ to the final posture, avoiding an extra vowel. In practice, aim for /ˈbɪ.tən/ and gradually let the final /ən/ melt into a quick, light /n̩/ in connected speech. Use shadowing with a native speaker and compare your production to a quiet, clear recording to monitor the reduction.
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Bitten derives from bite, with the suffix -en forming the past participle in English. The verb bite has Germanic roots, from Old English bītan; related forms appear in Dutch bijten and German beißen, all tracing to Proto-Germanic *bitaną. The past tense historically used in English was bitten in the sense of “to have had a bite,” with the irregular vowel change from i to i̯e in certain forms. The modern pronunciation consolidates as /ˈbɪt.n̩/ or /ˈbɪtən/ depending on stress, with the final -en reduced to a schwa or a syllabic nasal in rapid speech. First known uses appear in Middle English texts, with spellings like bitenen and bitten forming in the 13th-14th centuries, evolving through regional dialects to the current standard where bitten serves both past simple and past participle in modern English. The semantic shift from “to bite” to “to have been bitten” reinforces the irregular nature of English past participles, as with other strong verbs where the participle reflects an earlier vowel change and stress pattern that was preserved in usage across centuries.
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Words that rhyme with "bitten"
-den sounds
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