2 syllables: gran, ny. Stress on gran.
GRAN-ee
/ˈɡɹæni/
granny is pronounced GRAN-ee (/ˈɡɹæni/). It has two syllables (gran-ny), with the stress on "gran". Granny refers to one's grandmother, typically used informally and affectionately. It can also denote an elderly woman in a neutral or colloquial sense. The term carries warmth and familiarity, often used in family contexts or playful speech.
Granny refers to one's grandmother, typically used informally and affectionately. It can also denote an elderly woman in a neutral or colloquial sense. The term carries warmth and familiarity, often used in family contexts or playful speech.
- You misplace the /æ/ by using an /e/ or /aː/ quality; keep the short, flat /æ/ as in cat, not a longer vowel. - You over-articulate the second syllable, turning granny into /ˈɡræn.iː/ or /ˈɡræn.iə/. Keep the second syllable short and quick. - You insert an extra consonant or a pushed 'r' before the /æ/ (like /ˈɡɹænd.i/). Ensure the onset /gr/ is clean and the syllable boundary clear. - You flatten the vowel in rapid speech, making it resemble /ɡrɪni/ or /ɡreɪni/. Practice with slow, then gradually faster enunciations to keep /æ/ precise. - You forget the stress pattern and say the second syllable louder; Granny is two syllables with primary stress on GRAN. - You mispronounce the final /i/ as /ɪ/; keep it a short, crisp /i/ like 'knee', not a lax /ɪ/.
"My granny makes the best lemon cake."
"We visited Granny last weekend and she told us stories."
"Don’t worry, Granny—I'll take care of it."
Granny is pronounced with two syllables: /ˈɡræn.i/ in US/UK, and /ˈɡræ.ni/ in some AU pronunciations. The first syllable is stressed: GRAN, with a short a as in cat. The second is a weak, unstressed -ni. Mouth position: start with an open jaw for /æ/, then glide to a light /i/ vowel, ending with a relaxed, almost closed lips for /i/. Listen for a crisp /æ/ followed by a quick /ni/ fuzzless release. Reference pronunciations: US /ˈɡræn.i/, UK /ˈɡræn.i/; Australian: often /ˈɡræ.ni/ or /ˈɡɹæ.ni/ depending on region.
Common errors include pronouncing it as /ˈɡreɪ.ni/ using a long A and a diphthong, or turning it into /ˈɡræn.i/ with an extra syllable due to over-articulation. Some speakers reduce it to /ˈɡre.ni/ dropping the internal syllable, while others insert an extra consonant like /ˈɡræn.dʒi/. Correction: keep the short /æ/ in the first syllable and avoid delaying the /n/; keep the second syllable short and unstressed. Practice with a quick /æ/ then /ni/ without an overt vowel in between.
In US/UK, the first syllable uses /æ/ as in cat, with stress on GRAN-. US and UK are similar on the vowel quality, while some AU speakers may exhibit a clearer /æ/ or a slight /æə/ transition, and a slightly less rhotic or more relaxed /ɹ/ depending on region. The second syllable /i/ is a light, quick vowel in all. Australian speakers may vary more in vowel quality due to vowel shift, sometimes approaching /ə/ in casual speech. Overall, rhoticity differences are less relevant here; the focus is on the short, open front vowel in the first syllable and a fast, unstressed second syllable.
The challenge lies in achieving the crisp /æ/ vowel in the first syllable without lengthening it into /eɪ/ or reducing it to /ə/. The second syllable must be quick and light, with clear /n/ articulation followed by a short /i/. The cluster /gr/ also requires precise tongue placement—a high front tongue position for /ɹ/ and a strong onset /ɡr/. In connected speech, the vowel in the first syllable can be shortened in faster speech, risking reduced clarity. Practicing minimal pairs helps stabilize these two elements.
No, in standard US/UK/AU pronunciation, the 'rr' in granny is not a rolled R. It’s the /r/ sound in the rhotic language family, typically an approximant /ɹ/ in US and UK, with slight variation in Australian speech. It is not a trill; the tongue tip lightly approaches the alveolar ridge without vibration. Focus on a clean, smooth /ɹ/ immediately before the /æ/ vowel, avoiding a heavy or coronal trill that would distort the second syllable. Pronunciations like /ˈɡræn.i/ are correct.
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- US: maintain rhotic /ɹ/ before the vowel; keep /æ/ as a short front vowel, then a clipped /i/. - UK: similar, but you might hear a slightly shorter /æ/ and a more clipped /i/. - AU: more variation; some speakers use a slightly more open vowel in the first syllable. Always aim for a two-syllable pronunciation with a clear, quick second syllable. - Across all: avoid vowel lengthening in the first syllable and keep the second syllable unstressed and rapid; practice with IPA cues /ˈɡræn.i/ (US/UK) and /ˈɡræ.ni/ (AU tendencies).
Granny derives from the diminutive form granny, itself a shortened and affectionate variant of grandmother. The exact lineage traces to Middle English grendemoder, a compound of green or grand “grand” and mother, with successive vernacular contractions producing gran(d)mutter, grandmama, and eventually granny. The use of the diminutive suffix -y/-ie to express familiarity and endearment is well documented across English dialects. In the 19th and 20th centuries, granny became the primary family-term in informal American and British speech, often used by grandchildren addressing or referring to their grandmothers. The word’s popularity grew with urbanization and the rise of family-centered storytelling, where elders were often identified by affectionate titles rather than formal terms. First known usage in print as a pet form likely appeared in regional dialect writings before becoming ubiquitous in general speech by the early 1900s. Today, granny functions both as a neutral descriptor in some phrases (granny smith) and as a tender familial address in most colloquial settings.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "granny" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "granny" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "granny" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "granny"
-nny sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
{ "sections": [ { "title": "Sound-by-Sound Breakdown", "content": [ "- /g/: velar stop; place the tongue at the soft palate; stop momentarily then release cleanly.", "- /r/: rhotic approximant; tongue tip up toward the alveolar ridge without touching it; keep the sound smooth.", "- /æ/: short front open vowel; jaw lowered, tongue mid-low, lips relaxed.", "- /n/: alveolar nasal; tip on the alveolar ridge; quick soft release.", "- /i/ (second syllable): high front vowel; lips spread slightly; tongue high and forward; short, crisp vowel.", "Common substitutions: replacing /æ/ with /e/ in some dialects; adding an extra vowel in the second syllable; misplacing the /r/ causing a rhoticization in the second syllable." ] }, { "title": "Accent Variations", "content": [ "- US: two-syllable rhythm with primary stress on GRAN; rhotic /ɹ/ remains stable before the vowel.", "- UK: similar RU, but often a more clipped second syllable; slight variation in /æ/ duration.", "- AU: greater variation; some speakers may merge /æ/ with /a/; second syllable tends to be quick; non-rhotic tendencies less pronounced depending on region.", "- Commonality: across all, the two-syllable pattern remains; the difference lies mainly in vowel quality and speed of the second syllable." ] }, { "title": "Practice Sequence", "content": [ "- Minimal pairs: granny vs grady, granny vs grant, granny vs granni (rare), granny vs grinn y (slower).", "- Syllable drills: /græ/ + /ni/ with slow tempo, then increase speed; keep /æ/ crisp and /ni/ short.", "- Context sentences: ‘My Granny told me a story last night.’ ‘I’m visiting Granny this weekend.’", "- Speed progression: slow (60 BPM), normal (90 BPM), fast (110 BPM); maintain accuracy at each pace." ] }, { "title": "Mastery Checklist", "content": [ "- Articulatory tongue positions: ensure /g/ and /r/ onset; /æ/ jaw drop; /n/ alveolar ridge; /i/ high front vowel in second syllable.", "- Acoustic rhyming: Granny should rhyme with other two-syllable words with stress on first syllable and a quick second syllable: /ˈgræn.i/ rhymes with many two-syllable words ending in a light /i/.", "- Stress/Rhythm: primary stress on GRAN; keep -ny unstressed and fast; two syllables with a quick, light tail." ] } ] }
