2 syllables: Cur, tain. Stress on Cur.
KUR-tuhn
/ˈkɝtən/
Curtain is pronounced KUR-tuhn (/ˈkɝtən/). It has two syllables (Cur-tain), with the stress on "Cur". Curtain is a flexible textile panel hung to cover a window, stage, or doorway, primarily serving as light control, privacy, and decoration. It’s a common noun used in homes, theaters, and interior design. The word conveys a sense of enclosure and transition, often signaling the boundary between interior space and the outside world.
nounCurtain is a flexible textile panel hung to cover a window, stage, or doorway, primarily serving as light control, privacy, and decoration. It’s a common noun used in homes, theaters, and interior design. The word conveys a sense of enclosure and transition, often signaling the boundary between interior space and the outside world.
- Misplacing emphasis or not fully articulating the first syllable, leading to a weak initial vowel. Aim for a brisk, clear /ˈkɜːr/ before the /tən/. - Over-articulating the second syllable, turning it into a full /ən/ or /ən/. In natural speech it should be quick and subdued. - Dropping the /r/ color in rhotic varieties; maintain the r-coloring to avoid a dull onset. - Slurring /t/ into a following consonant in connected speech; keep a clean, crisp /t/ consonant by placing the tongue blade on the alveolar ridge and releasing with a small burst. - Variations with soft vowels in non-rhotic accents can blur the first vowel; keep tension in the tongue to retain /ɜː/. Focus on: 1) proper vowel placement 2) crisp /t/ 3) light, short second syllable.
"She drew the curtain to let in the morning light."
"The theater curtains opened, revealing the performers."
"I bought a velvet curtain to match the living room decor."
Pronounce it as /ˈkɜːrtən/ in US English, with primary stress on the first syllable. The first syllable uses an open-mid back central vowel or a rhotacized schwa variant in many dialects; the /ɜːr/ portion has r-coloring in rhotic accents. The second syllable is a unstressed /tən/ with a light, quick schwa-like vowel followed by a clear /n/. Ensure the tongue sits mid-back, lips relaxed, and the ‘t’ is a clean alveolar stop. You can listen to native examples on Pronounce, Forvo, or YouGlish to compare regional variations.
Common errors include merging the /ɜːr/ with a pure /ɜː/ without rhotacization in US speech, or producing a strong /ən/ instead of a weak /ən/ in the second syllable. Some speakers add an extra syllable between /ˈkɜːr/ and /tən/, making it /ˈkɜːrtən/ sound clipped. To correct: emphasize the /ɜːr/ with a steady r-coloring, keep the /t/ as a crisp alveolar stop, and reduce the second syllable to a quick /ən/ rather than a full vowel. Practice with minimal pairs and recording to hear where your mouth stays closed longer or releases too soon.
In US English, /ˈkɜːrtən/ features rhoticity with an r-colored vowel in the first syllable and a clear, light second syllable. UK English often has a slightly shorter or tenser vowel in the first syllable, still rhotic in many accents, commonly /ˈkɜːtən/ with less prominent /r/ in non-rhotic varieties. Australian English typically aligns with US pronunciation but may feature a flatter, slightly less rhotic /ˈkɜːtən/ and a more centralized or centralized /ə/ in the second syllable. All share primary stress on the first syllable, but vowel quality subtly shifts with regional norms.
Curtain combines a rhotacized vowel in the first syllable and a single, short second syllable that can weaken to a schwa. The challenge lies in not adding a second vowel between /k/ and /t/ and maintaining a clean, quick transition from /ɜːr/ to /t/ while keeping the /ən/ light. Regional accents further complicate this with varying degrees of r-coloring and vowel length. Focusing on precise tongue position for /ɜːr/ and the crisp alveolar /t/ helps reduce ambiguity.
In fast speech, you often reduce the second syllable to a softer /n̩/ or /ən/ and may connect the /t/ to the following word, producing a sandhi-like effect. You might hear /ˈkɜːrtən/ compressed toward /ˈkɜːtən/ with a flapped or velarized finale, depending on context. To maintain clarity, practice slow, then normal, then fast tempos: ensure your /t/ remains a distinct alveolar stop and the /ən/ remains light and unstressed.
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- US: Pronounce /ˈɜːr/ with strong r-coloring; the /ɜː/ may be a mid central vowel with rhotacization. Keep /t/ as a clear alveolar stop; the second syllable is a weak /ən/. - UK: Often more centralized /ˈkɜːtən/ with less strong rhoticity; ensure non-rhotic speakers still maintain a tight onset by keeping the /ɜː/ length and the /t/ crisp. - AU: Similar to US but with slightly flatter vowels and smoother /r/; keep the second syllable short and relaxed. Reference IPA: US /ˈɜːrtən/ or /ˈkɜːrtən/, UK /ˈkɜːtən/, AU /ˈkɜːtən/. Key tips: keep the first vowel long enough to carry rhotacization without swallowing it; avoid turning into /ə/ in some dialects; avoid over-emphasizing the /t/.
Curtain derives from the Old French curtaine, from curten “folded cloth” or “curtain,” which may have roots in Latin curtus meaning “short, cut, closed” and possibly Germanic influences through medieval trade. The sense began with a hanging drapery used to cover openings and provide privacy in domestic and ceremonial spaces. In Middle English, curtain referred to hangings used in architecture and theater, evolving to include window coverings as living spaces gained more glass and light control. By the 16th–17th centuries, the term broadened in English literature and stagecraft to describe the fabric that closes or reveals a scene, with artistic and practical implications. The modern term retained its core textile meaning while expanding into idiomatic uses (course of events, curtains of night, curtain-call). First known uses appear in Middle English texts around the 13th century, often associated with hangings or coverings used in castles and halls.
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Words that rhyme with "Curtain"
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