3 syllables: re, mem, ber. Stress on mem.
rim-EM-bur
/ɹɪˈmɛmbɚ/
remember is pronounced rim-EM-bur (/ɹɪˈmɛmbɚ/). It has three syllables (re-mem-ber), with the stress on "mem". Remember is a verb meaning to bring to mind or to recall something from memory. It can also mean to commemorate or honor someone or something. In usage, it often involves deliberate cognitive retrieval or the act of reminding oneself or others, and appears in both declarative and imperative contexts, sometimes with object clauses or phrases following it.
verbRemember is a verb meaning to bring to mind or to recall something from memory. It can also mean to commemorate or honor someone or something. In usage, it often involves deliberate cognitive retrieval or the act of reminding oneself or others, and appears in both declarative and imperative contexts, sometimes with object clauses or phrases following it.
- You often over-articulate the final /ɚ/ or /ə/, making the word sound artificially elongated. Aim for a light, quick final schwa; the syllable should feel complete but not heavy. - A common error is misplacing stress on the first syllable (riMEMber). Remember, the main stress is on MEM. Practice by clapping on the second syllable and then fade the stress as you move to the final sound. - People sometimes link the /m/ and /b/ without a soft break, producing a run-together /mɛm.bər/ instead of a two-part rhythm. Insert a brief micro-pause or light separation between /mɛm/ and /bər/ to clarify syllables.
"Please remember to bring your passport to the airport."
"She reminded me of our appointment and asked me to remember the time."
"We remember the victims of the disaster with a moment of silence."
Pronounce as /rɪˈmɛm.bər/ in US, with primary stress on MEM, a clear /m/ closure, and a voiced final /ər/. The UK variant is /rɪˈmem.bə/ with a shorter final syllable; Australian commonly uses /ˌɹɛmˈɛm.bə/ with a lightly pronounced final schwa. Tip: keep the tongue relaxed at the end and let the final /ɚ/ or /ə/ soften without fully vocalizing a separate syllable.
Two frequent errors are misplacing the stress (e.g., reMEMber with incorrect emphasis) and over-articulating the final /ər/ as /ərk/ or /ər/ with heavy vowel length. Another pitfall is running the two middle consonants together without a light syllabic break, making /mɛm/ blend into /mɛm/ without clear syllable division. Correction: ensure primary stress on MEM, clearly articulate /m/ then reduce the final vowel to a schwa, keeping the /ɹ/ or /ə/ soft rather than a full vowel sound.
US: rhotic /r/ is pronounced; final /ɚ/ is strong. UK: non-rhotic tendency; final vowel often becomes a short /ə/ or /ə/ with no audible /r/. AU: mix of rhotic influence; often resembles US with a lighter final /ə/; could include vowel reduction in rapid speech. Across accents, the middle /ɛm/ remains similar, but the coda and rhoticity influence the perceived vowel quality and length.
The difficulty comes from balancing pitch and stress across two syllables, ensuring correct placement of primary stress on MEM, and producing the final vowel sound depending on accent—rhotic /ɚ/ in US vs. /ə/ in UK/AU. The transition from /m/ to /b/ via a light /m/ closure and the subtle linking in connected speech (bridging /r/ or gliding to the next word) adds phonetic overhead.
A distinctive query-focused aspect is handling the final /ə/ vs /ɚ/ in different contexts (e.g., starting a sentence uses stronger /ɪ/ sound). People often search for practice on “remember pronunciation ipa” or “how to say remember quickly.” Emphasize the two-syllable rhythm and the fact that the stress sits on MEM, not RE, and that the final sound shifts with the following word in connected speech.
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- US: emphasize the rhotic final /ɚ/ with a slightly stronger schwa, ensuring the tongue curls toward the palate but stays relaxed. - UK: the final sound reduces to /ə/ with non-rhoticity; avoid sounding like /-ər/; keep the /r/ silent or very light depending on speaker. - AU: tends to be closer to US with a lighter final /ə/; avoid over-lengthening the last vowel; aim for a clean, neutral ending. Use IPA references /rɪˈmɛm.bə/ (UK), /rɪˈmɛm.bɚ/ (US), /ˌɹɛmˈɛm.bə/ (AU).
Remember derives from Old French remembrer, borrowed into English in the late Middle English period. The root comprises re- (again, back) + memor, from Latin memori, memoria meaning memory or mindful. The sense evolution tracks a shift from “to recall” or “to bring back to memory” to broader usages like “to commemorate or honor” through ritual memory and social practice. Early English texts use remember in moral and religious contexts, implying recollection of duties or divine promises. Over time, remember broadened to everyday cognitive recall, reminders, and even to recall past events in historical or personal contexts. The noun remembrance became associated with acts or ceremonies that preserve memory, such as commemorations, national days, or memorial services. By the Modern English period, remember also functioned idiomatically in both imperative and declarative statements (e.g., “Remember me” or “Please remember this”). The word remains highly versatile, sustaining both concrete memory tasks and abstract or emotional recollection, while retaining a close tie to memory, empathy, and obligation across cultures.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "remember" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "remember" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "remember"
-ber sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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