2 syllables: Ga, rage. Stress on rage.
gur-AHZH
/ɡɚˈɑʒ/
Garage is pronounced gur-AHZH (/ɡɚˈɑʒ/). It has two syllables (Ga-rage), with the stress on "rage". Garage (noun) refers to a building or part of a building used for housing vehicles or for storage, often attached to a home. In conversation it can also denote a place for DIY projects or a workspace. The term implies a practical, sometimes casual utility space, with variations in usage by region and context.
nounGarage (noun) refers to a building or part of a building used for housing vehicles or for storage, often attached to a home. In conversation it can also denote a place for DIY projects or a workspace. The term implies a practical, sometimes casual utility space, with variations in usage by region and context.
"We park the car in the garage every night to keep it out of the rain."
"The project team rented a garage for their workshop to prototype the new device."
"My parents converted the garage into a small gym with shelves and workout equipment."
Garage is typically pronounced /ɡəˈrɑːdʒ/ in US English and /ˈɡærɪdʒ/ or /ˈɡɑːrɑːdʒ/ in UK English and some AU variants. Put stress on the second syllable in US usage, producing a soft first syllable and a strong final consonant cluster. Mouth position: start with a relaxed, open jaw for /ɡə/; move to a low-back vowel with the tongue slightly retracted for /ɹɑː/ or /ˈær/; finish with the voiced palato-alveolar affricate /dʒ/. Listen for a smooth transition between syllables to avoid breaking into two monosyllables.
Common errors include over-pronouncing the first syllable as /ˈɡæɡ/ or making the second syllable as /-ɒdʒ/ instead of /-dʒ/. Some learners replace /ɡə/ with a full /ɡe/ or /ɡi/ sound, and drop the final /dʒ/ or misarticulate it as /tʃ/. The fix: keep a reduced, unstressed /ə/ in the first syllable and ensure the final sound is a clean /dʒ/. Practice slowly, then blend vowels into a quick, natural rhythm.
In US English you’ll hear /ɡəˈrɑːdʒ/ with a soft first vowel and stressed second syllable; rhotic influence may color the /ɹ/. UK English often favors /ˈɡærɪdʒ/ or /ˈɡɑːrɪdʒ/ with a more pronounced /ɒ/ or /ɪ/ vowel and less aggressive /ə/ in the first syllable. Australian typically sits between, with /ˈɡæɹɪdʒ/ or /ˈɡæːrɑːdʒ/, maintaining non-rhotic tendencies in some regions and a slightly higher, flatter vowel than UK. The key is how the first syllable vowels shift, and whether the final /dʒ/ is delivered as a quick, sharp affricate.
The difficulty comes from the unstressed first syllable /ɡə/ in many dialects, which can become a reduced vowel or shift in some accents. The final /dʒ/ requires an articulatory lift from the alveolar ridge to the post-alveolar region; in rapid speech it can blend or be omitted. Additionally, the contrast between /ɑː/ vs /æ/ in the second syllable in US vs UK / AU dialects can alter perceived stress and rhythm. Focus on keeping /ər/ or /ær/ distinct while delivering a crisp /dʒ/.
Garage uniquely presents a two-syllable rhythm with a tricky stress pattern for learners who are used to one-stress words. The second syllable carries primary stress in most English varieties, while the preceding schwa can be noticeably reduced. The final /dʒ/ is a voiced affricate that requires precise tongue positioning at the alveopalatal ridge. Train to maintain a clean /dʒ/ without voicing bleed into previous vowel, and practice the exact mouth openings from /ə/ to /ɑː/ or /æ/ before the /dʒ/.
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Garage originates from the French word garage, which itself stems from the Italian gara, meaning 'workshop' or 'place for storage'. The modern sense of a building for housing vehicles emerged in 19th-century Europe as automobiles became common. The English adoption preserved the sense of a space attached to a residence or separate structure used for storage or mechanical work. Early usage in English often described a structure for 'carriages' or 'vehicles' before automobiles popularized the term. By the 20th century, the meaning broadened to include any utilitarian space for vehicles, tools, and hobbyist activities. The pronunciation shift from the French stressed garde-like ending to an English -age suffix reflects general anglicization. First known English usages appeared in technical and architectural texts in the late 1800s, aligning with the expansion of garages as standard features of homes and commercial buildings.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Garage" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Garage" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Garage"
-age sounds
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