/spɛɹz/
spares is pronounced /spɛɹz/. Spares is the plural form of spare, meaning additional, extra items kept for contingency or replacement, or as a verb form meaning to refrain from harming or to guard against loss. In everyday use it often refers to extras kept on hand (spare tires) or actions taken to save or conserve (spares time). The pronunciation centers on a long /eə/ or /ɛə/ vowel depending on the accent, followed by /z/.
Say it backSpares is the plural form of spare, meaning additional, extra items kept for contingency or replacement, or as a verb form meaning to refrain from harming or to guard against loss. In everyday use it often refers to extras kept on hand (spare tires) or actions taken to save or conserve (spares time). The pronunciation centers on a long /eə/ or /ɛə/ vowel depending on the accent, followed by /z/.
"I keep several spares in the trunk in case a tire goes flat."
"She spares no effort to reach perfection in her craft."
"We have spares of the old parts if the replacement fails."
You say /speɚz/ in US English, with a rhotacized vowel in many speakers. The first syllable is stressed: /speɚ/ (the vowel glides from /i/ toward a mid-central /ɚ/ or /ə/ in rapid speech), followed by a clear final /z/. In careful speech, you might hear /speə(z)/ in UK/AU variants, keeping the /eə/ vowel. Mouth position: start with a spread lip shape for /s/ and /p/, then a mid-front to mid-central vowel, and end with a voiced alveolar fricative /z/. IPA: US /speɚz/, UK /speəz/ or /speəz/ depending on rhoticity; AU /speəz/. Audio reference: you can verify with native examples on Pronounce or YouGlish by searching “spares.”
Common errors include turning /ɚ/ into a plain /ɜː/ or /ɪ/ in the first vowel, producing /speɹz/ with an incorrect rhotic vowel, and voicing the final /z/ too softly or as /s/. To correct: ensure a voiced /z/ at the end by softly buzzing the vocal cords as you release the final /z/, and use a mid-central vowel for the /ɚ/ or /eɚ/ depending on your accent. Practice with minimal pairs like spares vs spears (contrast final consonant) and spares vs spears with the same vowel but different ending to solidify the distinction. IPA: /speɚz/ (US) vs /speəz/ (UK/AU).
US: rhotacized /ɚ/ in the stressed syllable nucleus; final /z/ after a voiced vowel. UK: often non-rhotic, may be /ˈspeəz/ with a clear /eə/ diphthong and final /z/; AU: can be similar to UK but with varying rhoticity and a slightly more centralized /eə/ depending on region. The key is vowel quality of the /eə/ sequence and whether /r/ is articulated. Listen for rhotic shapes in US, a longer, more rounded /eə/ in UK/AU and less rhotic influence in some AU varieties. IPA references: US /speɚz/, UK /speəz/, AU /speəz/.
The difficulty lies in the vowel transition between the /s/ and the /eɚ/ (or /eə/) nucleus and the following voiced /z/. The /ɚ/ or /ə/ placement can cause “slurring” in rapid speech, and the final /z/ must be voiced clearly to avoid it sounding like /s/. Focus on a precise tongue position: keep the tongue forward for /s/, move into a mid-vowel glide, and end with a voiced alveolar fricative. Practice with slow, exaggerated enunciation, then normalize to normal speech.
Notice the difference between spare (noun) and spares (verb/ plural noun). When you intend the plural noun, stress the first syllable with a longer /eɚ/ and ensure the final /z/ is audible. If you’re saying “spares time” the /z/ should be subtle but voiced; don’t drop the final consonant. In careful speech, you may feel your lips rounding slightly for /eə/ and a crisp /z/ release. IPA reminder: /speɚz/ (US) vs /speəz/ (UK/AU).
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Spare comes from the Old French esparguier (to spare, to pick, to save) via Old Spanish espardar, from Vulgar Latin sparsare, from Greek sparas (sow, scatter). The noun sense of reserve or extra item arose in Middle English as a derivative of “spare” meaning to spare labor or expense, with the sense of an extra item (a spare wheel) developing by the late medieval period. The verb “to spare” originally conveyed saving someone from harm or avoiding waste; by the 16th century it broadened to mean giving or retaining something in excess as a reserve. The modern plural “spares” primarily appears in the sense of multiple spare parts or spare items, and as the third-person singular of spare as a verb in present tense (he spares time). Early uses emphasize frugality and preparedness, reflecting a culture that valued having backups to avert failure. The phonetic form settled into the modern /speər/ (US) or /speə/ (UK) in general speech, with regional vowel length and rhoticity variations over time. The term has maintained a consistent practical sense: an extra item kept in reserve for contingency or a verb form about conserving or withholding.
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Words that rhyme with "spares"
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