2 syllables: im, port. Stress on port.
/ˌɪˈmpɔɹt/
Say it backImport refers to goods brought into a country for sale or use. It can also act as a verb meaning to bring in products, services, or information from abroad. In economic or logistics contexts, import often contrasts with export, shipments, and duties. The word has both noun and verb uses, with nuanced stress patterns in phrases.
"The country imposes tariffs on certain imports to protect domestic industries."
"We import fresh coffee beans from Colombia to ensure quality and flavor."
"She decided to import the vintage furniture for the showroom in London."
Pronounce as IM-port with stress on the first syllable for the noun and the verb. IPA: US /ˈɪmˌpɔrt/ or /ˈɪmpɔːrt/; UK /ˈɪmpɔːt/; AU /ˈɪmpɔːt/. Begin with a quick, crisp /ɪ/ in the first syllable, then a rounded /ɔ/ for the second, ending with a clear /t/. In the verb form, you may hear a slightly stronger second syllable accent in rapid speech: im-PORT. Listen for a small vowel relaxation before the /p/; keep the /p/ aspirated and the /t/ released.
Two frequent errors: (1) Placing the primary stress on the second syllable in everyday speech, making it im-PORT instead of IM-port; (2) Slurring the /p/ or eliding the final /t/, leading to something like /ˈɪmpɔː/ without the final /t/. Correction: keep the primary stress on syllable 1 for both noun and verb, and articulate the final /t/ with a light, crisp release. Practice by isolating the final /t/ with a quick burst after the vowel, then add a following consonant in longer phrases.
US tends to have a slightly closer /ɪ/ in the first syllable and often a stronger /t/ at the end, with possible /ˌ/ for the verb in connected speech. UK and AU share /ˈɪmpɔːt/ with a less pronounced rhoticity, and the /r/ is not pronounced in non-rhotic British varieties; AU typically mirrors UK in vowels but may display regional vowel length differences. Across accents, the main variance is vowel quality in the first syllable and the presence or absence of rhotic /r/ motion before the consonants when the word is followed by vowels.
The challenge lies in the short, lax first vowel /ɪ/ combined with a tense, rounded second syllable /ɔː/ and the final /t/ release. For non-native speakers, the transition from a high front vowel to a mid-back rounded vowel requires precise tongue retraction and lip rounding. Additionally, the stress pattern is sometimes inconsistently applied in speech, especially when the word appears in longer phrases. Focus on preserving crisp vowel qualities and the final dental/alveolar stop.
In careful speech, yes — you produce a crisp, aspirated /t/. In rapid or connected speech, many speakers may reduce the final consonant slightly (e.g., a tapped or unreleased stop), but in careful pronunciation, especially in professional contexts like imports data or policy briefs, keep a clear /t/ release. IPA reference: /ˈɪm.pɔːt/. Make sure the tongue contacts the alveolar ridge briefly and the air pressure releases cleanly.
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The word import comes from the late Middle English imports, derived from Latin importare, a combination of in- (into) and portare (to carry). The sense evolved from “to carry or bring in from foreign parts” to the modern noun for goods brought into a country and the verb meaning to bring something in from abroad. In Middle English usage, import often appeared in legal or commercial contexts and gradually broadened to general usage for “significance” or “importance” (as in “the import of a message”). By the 16th century, import was well established in maritime trade jargon for goods landed from ships. The phonetic form stabilized around “IM-port” with stress on the first syllable in standard American and British English for the noun; as a verb in phrases like “to import,” the stress remains on the same syllable while intonation can shift with sentence function. First known use in English traces to borrowings in the 14th–15th centuries, with Latin sources influencing its trajectory through French and Italian intermediaries in medieval trade discourse.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "import" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "import" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "import"
-ort sounds
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