2 syllables: Of, fice. Stress on Of.
AW-fis
/ˈɔfɪs/
Office is pronounced AW-fis (/ˈɔfɪs/). It has two syllables (Of-fice), with the stress on "Of". Office refers to a room or building used for professional work, or a position within an organization. It can also describe the duties and functions of a workplace or a state of administrative activeness. In everyday use, it denotes a place where tasks are performed, meetings occur, and records or correspondence are managed.
nounOffice refers to a room or building used for professional work, or a position within an organization. It can also describe the duties and functions of a workplace or a state of administrative activeness. In everyday use, it denotes a place where tasks are performed, meetings occur, and records or correspondence are managed.
- You may collapse the first syllable’s vowel into a lax, quicker sound, saying something like ‘of-fice’; keep the first vowel broad and stressed as /ˈɔː/ or /ˈɒ/ depending on your accent. - You might voice the /f/ and make it a /v/ or a voiced fricative; ensure the /f/ is voiceless by forcing air through a narrow gap with upper teeth and lower lip. - The second syllable often reduces to a dull /s/; practice a crisp /ɪs/ rather than a prolonged vowel or an unclear ending. Use minimal pairs like office vs offer to train contrast. - In rapid speech, /(ˈ)ɒf.ɪs/ can become /(ˈ)ɒfəs/ or /(ˈ)ɔːfɪtɪs/; slow down in early practice and link the syllables with controlled air flow to keep the /f/ and /s/ distinct.
How to Pronounce Office
"I sent the report to the office before lunch."
"She works in the finance office and handles invoices."
"The office hours are from 9 to 5, Monday through Friday."
You pronounce it OH-fiss with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA: US ˈɔː.fɪs, UK ˈɒf.ɪs, AU ˈɒf.ɪs. The first vowel is a back rounded open sound; the second syllable uses a short /ɪ/ followed by /s/. Practice by saying “AW-fiss” quickly, then relax into a steady /f/ to /s/ transition. Audio examples from Pronounce or Cambridge can help hear the difference in each accent.
Common mistakes include misplacing stress (saying OF-fiss instead of ˈɔː.fɪs or ˈɒf.ɪs), misproducing the /f/ as a /v/ or a voiced fricative, and adding an unnecessarily heavy vowel in the second syllable. To correct: keep primary stress on the first syllable, ensure the /f/ is unvoiced, and use a short, clipped /ɪ/ in the second syllable. Gentle practice with minimal pairs helps fix the rhythm.
US tends to have a broader first vowel with /ɔː/ or /ɒ/, followed by a crisp /fɪs/. UK often uses /ˈɒf.ɪs/ with shorter, crisper vowel, and non-rhotic linking may affect how /r/ sounds in related phrases. Australian pronunciation remains /ˈɒf.ɪs/ with a slightly flatter vowel quality and fast, even syllables. In all, the final /s/ is typically crisp; rhoticity mostly affects connected speech rather than the isolated word.
Because it has a stressed front vowel followed by a short /ɪ/ before a voiceless /s/, which can lead to vowel shortening and consonant blending. English speakers often reduce vowels in rapid speech, causing the /ɪ/ to centralize or the /f/ to sound like /v/ if air pressure isn’t controlled. Focus on keeping the /f/ voiceless and the first syllable clearly stressed to maintain intelligibility.
A unique feature is the transition from the stressed first syllable to a short, clipped second syllable, with a precise /f/ followed by a clear /s/. It’s important to maintain a distinct boundary between /f/ and /s/ sounds, avoiding a fused /fs/ or an overemphasized /ɪ/. Practicing with minimal pairs like “offer/office” helps distinguish the tacit schwa reductions that can occur in rapid speech.
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- US: emphasize a longer /ɔː/ or /ɒ/ depending on regional variation; ensure the /f/ remains voiceless; the /ɪ/ in the second syllable is short, not a full vowel, and settles quickly before /s/. - UK: typically /ˈɒf.ɪs/ with crisper vowels and a quicker transition to /s/. Move the tongue close to the alveolar ridge for the /s/ with a hissy release. - AU: /ˈɒf.ɪs/ with a more flattened vowel quality; keep stress on the first syllable and produce a clean /f/ and /s/ with less jaw movement than US. IPA references can guide exact vowel length and quality differences across regions.
Office comes from the Old French office, derived from Latin officium, meaning “duty, service, function.” The Latin officium itself is composed of opus (work) and facere (to make/do). In medieval Latin, officium referred to a duty or service in a church or court context. In English, the word broadened to denote a place for business and administrative duties, as well as the duties themselves. The sense of a room or building designated for work entered English usage in the 15th–16th centuries, paralleling the growing bureaucratic and clerical administrations of early modern organizations. Over time, “office” also acquired metaphorical uses, such as “office of the president” or “office politics,” emphasizing both physical space and the functional role within an organizational structure. First known use in English dates to the 14th–15th centuries in ecclesiastical or administrative contexts, with the modern sense of a workplace solidifying in the 17th–18th centuries as commerce and governance expanded.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Office" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Office" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Office"
-ice sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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