3 syllables: grand, chil, dren. Stress on grand.
GRAN-chil-druhn
/ˈɡɹæˌntʃɪldɹən/
grandchildren is pronounced GRAN-chil-druhn (/ˈɡɹæˌntʃɪldɹən/). It has three syllables (grand-chil-dren), with the stress on "grand". Grandchildren are the children of one’s sons or daughters, forming the next generation in a family. The term emphasizes multiple offspring across two generations and is typically used in familial conversations or genealogical contexts. It often appears in contexts discussing family dynamics, inheritance, or planning for future generations.
Grandchildren are the children of one’s sons or daughters, forming the next generation in a family. The term emphasizes multiple offspring across two generations and is typically used in familial conversations or genealogical contexts. It often appears in contexts discussing family dynamics, inheritance, or planning for future generations.
- Misplacing stress or swallowing syllables: You may sound like /ˈɡræn.dɪl.drən/ or /ˈɡrænd.tʃɪl.dɹən/ if you’re not careful with the /d/ and /tʃ/ boundary. Focus on the deliberate /d/ before /tʃ/ to avoid a nasalized pause. - Over-reducing the final -ren: The ending /drən/ should be clear; don’t drop the /r/ or the /ə/ entirely. - Slurring the middle consonants: The /tʃ/ should land clearly before /l/, not melt into /d/ or /l/ without the proper contact. Practice with minimal pairs to reinforce contrasts: grand-child vs grandchildren; child vs child-en. Tip: slow down to learn the sequence GRAN - DCHIL - DREN and then blend.
"I’m visiting my grandchildren this weekend and I can’t wait to hear their stories."
"The grandchildren gathered in the living room, sharing jokes and candies."
"We’ve saved photos of all the grandchildren since they were born."
Say grand- with /ɡræn/, then -chil- as /tʃɪl/ (note the /tʃ/ blends into the /l/), and -dren as /drən/. The primary stress is on the first syllable of grand- (GRAN) and the overall word often lands on GRAND-chil-dren in natural speech. For many speakers, the sequence kinesthetically flows as /ˈɡræn.dˌtʃɪl.drən/ or /ˈɡræn.dʒɪldrən/ in faster speech. Listening to native models helps; use the IPA guide to align mouth positions: lips rounded slightly for /ɡ/ and /d/, tongue high for /tʃ/, and a quick schwa-like reduction in the final /rən/.
Common errors include misplacing the /tʃ/ as /t/ or /dʒ/ mispronunciation of the –chil- segment, and vowel reduction in the final -ren. To correct: ensure the /tʃ/ is a true ch sound before the /l/, avoid turning /drən/ into a plain /drən/ with weak r, and keep /æ/ in the first syllable steady rather than sliding to /eɪ/. Practice the three-part sequence GRAN - CHIL - DREN distinctly, then blend swiftly.
In US English, you’ll hear /ˈɡræn.dˌtʃɪl.dɹən/ with rhotic /r/ and a relatively clear final schwa-less /ən/. UK pronunciation often uses /ˈɡræn.dʒɪl.drən/ with a slightly softer /dʒ/ for the middle junction and less pronounced /r/ (non-rhotic). Australian speakers typically align with rhotic practice similar to US but may reduce the final /ən/ to /ən/ with a tapped or glided ending. Regardless, the -chil- portion remains a /tʃ/ followed by a light /l/ sound; attentive listeners recognize the/ɡræn.dˌtʃɪl.dɹən/ vs /ˈɡræn.dʒɪl.drən/ patterns.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster between syllables: /dʒl/ or /tʃl/ blends, the rapid transition from the alveolar /d/ to the /tʃ/ and /l/ sequence, and the final /ən/ reduced to a light /ən/. Jaw and tongue must shift quickly from alveolar to palato-alveolar positions, with the /dr/ sequence creating a tricky double consonant movement. Practicing the three syllable chunks slowly helps solidify the timing and reduces slurring in fluent speech.
Since 'grandchildren' combines a light /drən/ ending with a preceding /ɪl/ and /tʃ/, you might ask: does the sequence /dˈtʃɪl/ ever reduce to /dʒɪl/? In careful speech, the /t/ in /tʃ/ must be retained to preserve the t-ship before the palato-alveolar /tʃ/. In faster speech, you can hear a smoother /dˈʒɪl/ blend, but most careful speech uses /dˌtʃɪl/. IPA references: /ˈɡræn.dˌtʃɪl.drən/.
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- US: rhotic /r/ is pronounced; keep the final /ən/ light but audible. /tʃ/ as in chair; avoid blending into /dʒ/ unintentionally. - UK: non-rhotic tendency; /r/ not pronounced unless followed by a vowel; keep /tʃ/ crisp and avoid adding extra vowels in the middle. - AU: rhotic and vowel qualities similar to US; keep /ɡræn/ crisp and ensure /dʒ/ vs /tʃ/ alignment; watch for vowel reduction in the final /ən/ depending on speaker.
Grandchildren comes from the combination of grand- (from the Old French grand, itself from Latin grandus meaning large or great) and children (from Old English cildru, related to child). The prefix grand- signals a generational relation beyond parent-child, i.e., grandchildren are the offspring of one’s children. The term evolved into Middle English as grandchild before adopting the plural grandchildren to denote more than one grandchild. The concept of grandchildren has long been present in many cultures’ kinship vocabularies; in English, the word consolidates the two-generation relationship into a compact noun. First attested forms appear in early modern English usage as families expanded and the need for specific kinship terms grew, with “grandchild” in use by the 15th–16th centuries and “grandchildren” by the 17th century in written texts. The modern usage typically implies affectionate or formal reference, and it is often preceded by possessives (my grandchildren, his grandchildren) or post-modifier phrases (the grandchildren from her daughter’s side). Over time, the word has become common in both spoken and written English, including genealogical discussions and everyday family storytelling.
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Words that rhyme with "grandchildren"
-ren sounds
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