2 syllables: bunch, es. Stress on bunch.
BUHN-chuhz
/ˈbʌntʃəz/
bunches is pronounced BUHN-chuhz (/ˈbʌntʃəz/). It has two syllables (bunch-es), with the stress on "bunch". Bunches is the plural form of the noun or verb-root “bunch,” referring to a group of things growing or tied together, or to the act of gathering into a cluster. In everyday usage, it denotes a large number or cluster and can function as a noun (e.g., a bunches of grapes) or verb form in casual speech. The word carries a light, informal tone and often appears in contexts emphasizing quantity or grouping.
Bunches is the plural form of the noun or verb-root “bunch,” referring to a group of things growing or tied together, or to the act of gathering into a cluster. In everyday usage, it denotes a large number or cluster and can function as a noun (e.g., a bunches of grapes) or verb form in casual speech. The word carries a light, informal tone and often appears in contexts emphasizing quantity or grouping.
"- She gathered several bunches of carrots from the market."
"- The kids were in bunches, all wearing matching outfits."
"- He loves to bunches the papers together with a rubber band."
Pronounce it as /ˈbʌn.tʃɪz/. The stress sits on the first syllable: BUN-chiz. The first sound is /b/ followed by a short /ʌ/ as in 'but', then /n/ and the /tʃ/ blend as in 'church', ending with /-ɪz/. Ensure the /tʃ/ is a clean palatal affricate, not a stop. Mouth position: lips neutral, tongue high-mid for /ʌ/, tongue blade behind the teeth for /tʃ/. For audio reference, listen to standard American or British English pronunciations on Pronounce or Forvo.
Common errors: 1) Slurring the /tʃ/ into a simple /ʃ/ (bunshez) — keep /tʃ/ as a precise affricate with a brief stop before the /ɪ/. 2) Lengthening the vowel in the first syllable (bun-ch-es) — keep /ʌ/ short and clipped. 3) Dropping the final /z/ (bunches -> bunch) — use the voiced /z/ or /ɪz/ ending. Practice by isolating /tʃ/ and /z/ segments, and use minimal pairs to fix the ending (/z/ vs /s/).
In US, /ˈbʌn.tʃɪz/ with a rhotic, clear /ɪ/ vowel in the second syllable. In UK, /ˈbʌntʃɪz/ often has a slightly shorter /ɪ/ and non-rhoticity affects surrounding words; the /tʃ/ remains intact. Australian English typically keeps /ˈbʌn.tʃɪz/ with a more centralized or lax /ɪ/ and a broader vowel quality; voicing and reduction patterns may make the ending softer. Across all, the primary differences are vowel quality and rhythm; the core consonants /b/, /n/, /t͡ʃ/, and /z/ stay consistent.
The difficulty lies in accurately producing the /t͡ʃ/ affricate sequence immediately after a short, stressed vowel and then attaching a voiced /z/. The cluster can cause slight vowel reduction in fast speech, and the final /z/ can blend with neighboring sounds if not clearly released. Focus on a clean /t͡ʃ/ with a brief stop and a crisp /z/ release. Slow, deliberate practice with a mirror helps you synchronize lip-tongue movement and voicing.
A unique aspect is maintaining the short /ʌ/ in a stressed syllable before a palatal /t͡ʃ/; many English speakers may substitute a /dʒ/ or reduce to /bʌntʃəs/ if not careful. Keeping the /ɪ/ in the second syllable steady and ensuring the final /z/ is voiced are crucial. Another nuance is the potential for assimilation in connected speech before consonants or vowels in rapid speech, where the /n/ might slightly nasalize the following /t͡ʃ/.
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Bunches derives from the noun bunch, meaning a grouping or cluster, with the typical English plural -es added to form bunches. The root noun likely originates from Middle English bøynsche (variant forms) and early Modern English, linked to the sense of tying or packing into a cluster. The core meaning—several items gathered or tied together—developed in the late Middle English to early Modern English periods as agriculture and trade popularized bundled goods. Early attestations show “bunch” used to describe a cluster of grapes or herbs, later expanding to “bunches of flowers,” “bunches of keys,” and more abstract groupings. The -es pluralization became standardized as English orthography grew, reinforcing the sense of multiple clusters rather than one. By the 19th and 20th centuries, “bunches” commonly appeared in both literal (plants, fruits) and figurative contexts (a bunch of people). Today, “bunches” is a versatile word with informal register, frequently used in conversational speech and casual writing to convey quantity, grouping, or collection. The word preserves the figurative flexibility, often implying a casual or approximate count rather than a precise total. In modern usage, it tends to be more common in American English, with consistent pronunciation across dialects in informal contexts, though subtleties in vowel length and flapping may appear regionally.
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Words that rhyme with "bunches"
-hes sounds
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