Crepes

In general American and UK usage, crepes is pronounced with a short e as /kɹɛps/ or, less commonly, as /ˈkreɪps/ depending on speaker. Stress falls on the first syllable in US contexts when referring to multiple pancakes: /ˈkreɪps/ for some speakers. For non-French contexts, you’ll often hear /kɹɛps/. Mouth position: start with a light /k/ release, then the /ɹ/ is an approximant with the tip near the alveolar ridge, followed by /ɛ/ as in “bet” and end with /ps/ where the lips purse and the tip of the tongue lightly touches the alveolar ridge for the /p/ release before the /s/ sibilant. Audio examples vary by region, but most North American speakers settle on /kɹɛps/.

Common errors include producing /kreɪps/ with a long vowel that sounds like ‘creep’ or ‘craype’ and misplacing the /p/ as an aspirated stop after a breath (saying /kɹeɪʰps/). Another frequent misstep is blending /kr/ with an intrusive schwa: /kɹəɹeps/. Correction: keep the /ɛ/ short and crisp, avoid adding an extra syllable, and ensure the /ps/ cluster is released quickly without an intermediate vowel. Practice by saying /kɹɛps/ in a steady, clipped rhythm: k + r together, then ɛ, followed by p and s without a vowel between them.

In US English you’ll often hear /kɹɛps/ as a short e vowel and a clipped /ps/ ending. In some UK contexts, you might hear /ˈkreɪps/ with a longer diphthong and a stronger initial stress depending on individual speaker and whether they’re anglicizing the French spelling; Australian speakers may use /ˈkreɪps/ or /kɹɛps/ with a non-rhotic accent becoming less distinct in the final /s/. The rhoticity in US accents keeps the /r/ clearly, while UK and AU may reduce the /r/ in non-rhotic positions, but with a preserved /r/ if the speaker uses linking. Listen for the vowel quality in the first syllable; US tends to a produced /ɛ/ or /e/, UK/AU more variable toward /eɪ/ in some speakers.

The challenge lies in the short, crisp vowel and the final /ps/ cluster. The transition from the vowel to a voiceless /p/ release into /s/ requires precise lip sealing and tongue positioning. The /ɹ/ can be tricky for non-rhotic speakers who don’t fully articulate the /r/ when preceding a vowel; for crepes, the /r/ is immediately followed by /ɛ/, so keep the /r/ tongue blade high and avoid an intrusive vowel. Finally, the /p/ is unreleased in some dialects, but with the /s/ you should have a clean release. Practice by isolating the /ɹ/ then move to /ɛ/ and finish with /ps/.

Generally, English speakers treat crepes as a single-syllable noun with the final /s/ as a plural. If speakers emphasize balance in a dish list or French-influenced menu, you may hear a secondary emphasis on the plural form; however, the primary stress remains on the first syllable when broken into two syllables in some speakers’ realization: /ˈkreps/ or /kɹɛps/. The main point is to avoid over-stressing the second consonant cluster; keep it tight and compact. In most everyday usage, crepes is two consonants then a consonant onset with no extra vowel, so primary stress is not heavy.