2 syllables: Oth, er. Stress on Oth.
UHTH-ur
/ˈʌðɚ/
Other is pronounced UHTH-ur (/ˈʌðɚ/). It has two syllables (Oth-er), with the stress on "Oth". Other is an adjective used to refer to something in addition to one already mentioned or to distinguish something different from one commonly known. It functions to indicate alternatives or remaining items, and can also serve as a pronoun in certain constructions. The term often pairs with specific nouns (other people, other options) and can convey contrast or variety in discourse.
adjectiveOther is an adjective used to refer to something in addition to one already mentioned or to distinguish something different from one commonly known. It functions to indicate alternatives or remaining items, and can also serve as a pronoun in certain constructions. The term often pairs with specific nouns (other people, other options) and can convey contrast or variety in discourse.
"I brought two shirts, and I’ll wear the other one tomorrow."
"If this option doesn’t work, we can try something else or the other idea."
"Some students understood the concept, while the other students struggled."
Pronounce it as /ˈʌðər/ in US and UK. The first syllable is stressed (ʌ as in 'strut'), followed by a voiced th (ð) with the tongue between the teeth. The second syllable uses schwa (ə) plus an approximant r in rhotic accents, yielding -ər. Practice by saying ‘UH-ther’ quickly, with a light, controlled breath. Audio references: Cambridge or Oxford dictionaries provide native speaker audio. IPA guides reinforce the /ʌ/ + /ð/ + /ər/ sequence.
Common errors: misplacing the /ð/ as a hard /d/ or /t/ sound, producing /ˈōthər/. Another is dropping the rhotic vowel in non-rhotic accents, saying /ˈɒðə/ or /ˈɒða/. Also, some learners reduce the second syllable to a full vowel without the schwa, saying /ˈʌðər/ as /ˈʌðɚ/ without the reduced vowel. Correction tips: keep the /ð/ with contact between tongue and upper teeth, ensure the second syllable uses a relaxed schwa + rhotic release, and practice linking the /ð/ to the following /ər/ without a strong pause.
In US English, /ˈʌðər/ with rhotic /r/ in the second syllable; the /ð/ remains voiced and dental. In UK English, /ˈʌðə/ with a reduced second vowel and often non-rhoticity in careful speech, so the final /r/ may be less pronounced or absent in some contexts. In Australian English, /ˈʌðə/ with a slightly more centralized vowel and mild rhoticity; the /ð/ remains, and the second syllable can be shorter and less prominent. Across all, the position of the tongue for /ð/ is critical: blade of the tongue behind the upper teeth, with a voiced fricative. IPA references emphasize the onset /ʌ/ plus /ð/ plus /ər/ variants.
Two main challenges: the dental fricative /ð/ can be hard for learners whose L1 lacks that sound; and the rhotic or non-rhotic cue in the second syllable affects naturalness (whether the /r/ is pronounced or reduced). Also, the vowel in the first syllable is a lax /ʌ/ that requires a quick, steady mouth posture; blending the /ð/ into the following vowel demands precise timbre and timing. Focusing on a short, crisp /ð/ and maintaining a relaxed schwa helps accuracy.
Not always. In rhotic American English, you typically hear /ˈʌðər/ with a rhotic /ɚ/ or /ər/. In many non-rhotic dialects (some UK varieties and casual speech), the final 'er' becomes a schwa in coda position or is weaker, often realized as /ə/ or even omitted in rapid speech. The key is the dental fricative + vowel reduction sequence. Practice both versions (with and without a pronounced /r/) to sound natural across contexts.
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The word other derives from Old English ōther, which originally meant ‘on the other side’ or ‘the second of two.’ It has Germanic roots common to Proto-Germanic *aiþar- or *ōþer- and is related to words in Old Norse, Dutch, and German that express separation or distinction. Over time, the meaning broadened from a spatial/directional sense (“on the other side”) to a more abstract notion of separation or remaining alternatives. In Middle English, other appeared in the sense of “the second one” or “the remaining,” and by Early Modern English it was established as both determiner/adjective (the other option) and pronoun (give it to the other). The form has remained relatively stable, with its primary function as a determiner modifying nouns or as a pronoun representing remaining persons or items, while the lexical color and collocations have expanded with usage patterns like other people, other options, or the other way. First known use is attested in Old English texts, with gradual sense-shifts recorded in Middle English glossaries and later dictionaries. The evolution reflects a core human need to distinguish among choices and to signal non-identical alternatives within discourse, preserving its utility in modern grammar and everyday speech.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Other" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Other" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Other"
-her sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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