2 syllables: For, bade. Stress on bade.
fur-BAYD
/fɚˈbeɪd/
Forbade is pronounced fur-BAYD (/fɚˈbeɪd/). It has two syllables (For-bade), with the stress on "bade". Forbade is the past tense of forbid, meaning to prohibit or not allow something. It is used in formal or narrative contexts to indicate that a rule or action was not permitted in the past. The pronunciation emphasizes a clear /bæd/ final syllable, with the stress on the second syllable in most English varieties.
verbForbade is the past tense of forbid, meaning to prohibit or not allow something. It is used in formal or narrative contexts to indicate that a rule or action was not permitted in the past. The pronunciation emphasizes a clear /bæd/ final syllable, with the stress on the second syllable in most English varieties.
"The school forbade bringing snacks into the classroom."
"During prohibition, several brands were forcibly forbidden by law."
"The coach forbade players from leaving the gym before cooldown."
The standard pronunciation is /fɔːrˈbeɪd/ in US English, /fɔːˈbeɪd/ in UK English, and /fɔːˈbeɪd/ in Australian English. The word has two syllables with primary stress on the second syllable: for-BADE. Start with an open back rounded vowel /ɔː/ and finish with /beɪd/ as in 'bade' or 'blade.' Keep the /r/ light in non-rhotic varieties; in rhotic US, the /r/ is pronounced as a rhotic consonant before the vowel.
Common errors include misplacing stress (saying for-BAD instead of for-BAYD), pronouncing the second syllable as /bæd/ (short a) instead of /beɪd/ (long a), and dropping the final /d/ (for-bay). To correct: emphasize the second syllable with a long /eɪ/ vowel and clearly articulate the final /d/. Ensure the /r/ is appropriate to the accent (rhotic US keeps /r/; non-rhotic UK/AUS speakers may visually reduce /r/ before a following consonant).
In US English, you’ll hear /fɔːrˈbeɪd/ with a distinct rhotic /r/ and a clearer /ɔː/ vowel. UK English tends toward /fɔːˈbeɪd/ with non-rhoticity; the /r/ is not pronounced unless followed by a vowel. Australian English is similar to UK in non-rhotic tendencies, but vowels may be slightly more centralized, giving a lighter /ɔː/ and a prominent /beɪd/ final. Across all, the /beɪd/ ending remains stable; the main variation is rhotics and vowel length.
The challenge lies in the irregular tense form and the /ɔː/ vowel in the first syllable, combined with the long /eɪ/ in the second syllable. Learners often misplace the stress or substitute /æ/ or /e/ for /eɪ/. Also, some speakers shorten or mispronounce the final /d/ when linking to following words. Focus on the two-syllable rhythm with the strong ending /beɪd/ and maintain clear vowel length to avoid a clipped final sound.
A distinctive feature is the contrast between the root 'for-' prefix and the strong /beɪd/ ending; the prefix does not change the vowel of the second syllable. The 'b' and 'd' are crafted to create a clean, voiced stop sequence /b/ + /d/. In careful speech, you should avoid vowel merging between /r/ and /b/; keep them separated as /r/ followed by /beɪd/ to preserve the two-syllable rhythm.
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Forbade comes from the verb forbid, with the past tense form irregularly changing the vowel in the root verb. The root forbid derives from Old English forgiefan, wherein for- expresses negation and giefan (give) relates to granting. The modern form fused the negating prefix for- with a contracted form of give, evolving through Middle English as forbede, then forbade by vowel alternation and spelling standardization. The shift from give to bade (inMiddle English) and then the double-voiced past tense patterns reflect broader English irregular verb development. First attested in late Old English sources and firmly established in Early Modern English texts, forban (to forbid) and forbide (less common) influenced the modern preference forbade as the simple past; it remains irregular, contrasting with the regular -ed suffixed verbs. In sense, forbid and forbade retained legal or moral prohibitions as primary meanings, with forbid spreading metaphorically to anything barred or not allowed.
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Words that rhyme with "Forbade"
-ade sounds
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