/ɹɪˈmɛmbɚz/
Say it backRemembers refers to the act of retaining information in memory or recalling past experiences. It is used when someone keeps something in mind or is able to bring past events to consciousness. The verb form highlights habitual or specific instances of memory retrieval, often in relation to a subject that has been learned or experienced before.
"She remembers her birthday from last year."
"The old song reminds him of his childhood, and he remembers every lyric."
"When you read the document, you’ll remember the key dates."
Pronounce as /rɪˈmem.bɚz/ in US/UK/AU with primary stress on the second syllable: re-MEM-bers. Start with a light /r/ before a short /ɪ/ or /ɪ/ vowel, then /ˈmem/ as a clear, rhotic-friendly alveolar nasal blend, and end with /bɚz/ or /bəːz/ depending on accent. In careful speech, the syllable break is clear: re-mem-bers, with /ˈmem/ carrying the main stress. For audio references, use standard dictionaries like Cambridge or Oxford to hear the variations and pay attention to the second syllable’s vowel quality and the final z sound.
Common errors include misplacing stress (speaking as re-MEM-bers with incorrect stress on the first syllable) or reducing the second vowel too much, producing /rɪˈmɛm.bərz/ with a schwa that’s too weak. Another mistake is eliding the /m/ blend, leading to /rɪˈmɛm.bɚz/ without the crisp /m/ onset in the second syllable. Correct by emphasizing the /m/ in the second syllable and ensuring the final /z/ is voiced, not voiceless. Practice with slow, deliberate syllable separation before fast connected speech.
In US English, /r/ is rhotic, so you hear a clear initial /r/ and a rhotic ending /ɚ/. In UK English, /r/ is often non-rhotic when not before a vowel, so you may hear a lighter /r/ or none at all in some contexts, and the final vowel can be reduced. Australian English is rhotic but tends to have a clipped /ə/ in the final syllable and a broad /ɪ/ in the second vowel depending on vowel shift. Listen for the second syllable: US/AU typically maintain a stronger /ɚ/ or /ə/; UK may reduce more.
The difficulty lies in the three-syllable sequence with a secondary stress on the second syllable and a voiced final cluster /z/. The contrast between the mid-central vowel in the final syllable and the short /ɪ/ in the first unstressed syllable can cause vowel drift. Also, the /r/ sound in rhotic varieties can be tricky for speakers of non-rhotic languages. Focus on crisp /m/ onset in the stressed syllable and keep the final /z/ voiced, even in rapid speech.
Does the word have any silent letters? No. The pronunciation requires all letters to contribute to the sounds: /r/ /ɪ/ /m/ /ɛm/ /b/ /əz/ in typical US/UK spellings. The second syllable carries the main stress, and you should avoid vowel reduction that flattens /ˈmem/ into a weaker schwa. Maintain full /m/ on the second syllable root and finish with a clear /z/.
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Remember comes from the Middle English remembren, from Old French remembrer, from the Latin meminī meaning “to remember” (deponent). The original emerges in the context of memory and mindful consideration, with early forms often tied to remembering people, obligations, or past events. The root mem- relates to memory and mind, appearing in words like memory, remember, and remembrance. In Middle English, spellings varied widely, with remembreren or remembrer in some texts, reflecting the influence of Norman French on English spelling and pronunciation. Over time, the verb consolidated into the modern form remember, with -s attached for third-person singular and pluralization in the simple present tense (he remembers, they remember). The phrase “to remember” also evolved to encompass abstract recollection (memories, remembrance) and practical recall (remembering to do something). The sense of retrieving information from memory became more dominant as standardized spelling and pronunciation settled in Early Modern English, around the 15th to 17th centuries, aligning with the broader codification of English verb conjugations.
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Words that rhyme with "remembers"
-ers sounds
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