2 syllables: Pre, tty. Stress on Pre.
PRIT-ee
/ˈpɹɪti/
Pretty is pronounced PRIT-ee (/ˈpɹɪti/). It has two syllables (Pre-tty), with the stress on "Pre". Pretty is an adverb meaning to a moderately high degree or degree of likelihood, often used informally in conversation. It can also function as an adjective meaning pleasing or attractive. In speech, it is typically stressed on the first syllable, with a short vowel in the first part and a reduced second syllable in many dialects, contributing to its distinctive 'PRIH-tee' rhythm.
adverbPretty is an adverb meaning to a moderately high degree or degree of likelihood, often used informally in conversation. It can also function as an adjective meaning pleasing or attractive. In speech, it is typically stressed on the first syllable, with a short vowel in the first part and a reduced second syllable in many dialects, contributing to its distinctive 'PRIH-tee' rhythm.
How to Pronounce Pretty
"She is pretty excited about the trip."
"The weather was pretty good for a spring day."
"That movie was pretty interesting, though a bit long."
It’s pronounced as /ˈprɪt.i/. The primary stress sits on the first syllable. Start with a small, quick /p/ burst, then the short /ɪ/ as in kit, followed by a clear /t/ release, and finish with a light, unstressed /i/ as in 'meet' but shorter. In fast speech, the second vowel can reduce toward a schwa. Listen for the rhythm: strong-weak (PRIH-tee).
Common issues: 1) Over-enunciating the second syllable to /i:/, making it 'PREET-ee' instead of a short /ɪ/ and a quick, light /i/. 2) T-voicing: pronouncing a dull, unreleased /t/ or blending to a d-like stop; keep a crisp /t/ with a small burst. 3) Post-tongue position: letting the tongue drift into /æ/ sound before the /t/; keep the tongue high and relaxed for /ɪ/. Practice with minimal pairs: /ˈprɪtə/ vs /ˈprɪti/ and feel a short, clipped second vowel.
In US, UK, and AU, the initial /pr/ cluster is similar, but vowel quality and rhotics differ. US often has a slightly higher /ɪ/ with a tense closure before /t/; rhotics are present in US; UK tends to a shorter, closer /ɪ/ and a softer /t/ with less vowel reduction; AU is similar to UK but can feature flatter intonation and very light /t/ or glottalization in some regions. All share stress on the first syllable; the second syllable is unstressed and reduced.
The difficulty lies in the rapid alternation between a tense, short /ɪ/ vowel and a markedly reduced, unstressed second syllable. The /t/ needs precise timing with the following vowel so it sounds crisp rather than swallowed. Speakers also wrestle with maintaining natural prosody while keeping the first syllable stressed without overemphasizing the second. Mastery requires clear articulation then smooth, fast speech with a reduced second vowel.
The key unique feature is the strong primary stress on the first syllable, with the second syllable often reduced to a light /ɪ/ or schwa. There are no silent letters in standard pronunciations for 'pretty', but rapid speech can make the /ɪ/ more centralized and the /t/ lighter, blending into a quick /ɪ/ or even a very soft /t/ in casual talk. The rhythmic pattern is strong-weak, which is a signature characteristic in normal speech pacing.
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Pretty originates from the Middle English word prettyen, meaning to make known or show off; later it took on the sense of making things attractive. The Romance and Germanic roots influenced the word via Old French petit, meaning small, which related to the sense of something pleasing or attractive in a mild way rather than strikingly beautiful. By the 16th century, pretty had shifted to describe things that are pleasing in appearance or manner; by the 17th–18th centuries, it was common in colloquial speech to modify adjectives (pretty good, pretty tired) in place of stronger qualifiers. In modern English, pretty serves multiple functions—from adverbial intensifier (pretty large) to a standalone adjective (a pretty girl)—and even as a mild rhetorical softener (pretty sure). First known use in printed form appears in Middle English/early Modern English texts, with evolving usage across British and American English media, shrinking or expanding in nuance with social and stylistic changes over centuries.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Pretty" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Pretty" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Pretty"
-tty sounds
-ity sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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