SPER-ohz
/ˈspɛɹoʊz/
sparrows is pronounced SPER-ohz (/ˈspɛɹoʊz/). Sparrows refers to small, seed-eating birds of the family Passeridae, typically gray-brown with short beaks. The term also functions as the plural of sparrow, a colloquial plural form when speaking of multiple birds. In broader use, “sparrows” may appear metaphorically to describe a noisy, busy crowd or a chorus of chirping noises. The word combines sparrow with a plural -s suffix.
Sparrows refers to small, seed-eating birds of the family Passeridae, typically gray-brown with short beaks. The term also functions as the plural of sparrow, a colloquial plural form when speaking of multiple birds. In broader use, “sparrows” may appear metaphorically to describe a noisy, busy crowd or a chorus of chirping noises. The word combines sparrow with a plural -s suffix.
"I saw several sparrows flitting among the hedge this morning."
"The garden was alive with sparrows chirping at dawn."
"Sparrows darted across the courtyard, pecking at seeds."
Break it into syllables: SPAR-ROWS. In US/UK/AU, the primary stress is on the first syllable: /ˈspɑːroʊz/ (US) or /ˈspærəʊz/ (UK) depending on vowel choice. Start with a strong /sp/ cluster, then /ɑː/ or /æ/ in the first vowel, then a smooth /roʊ/ or /rəʊ/ leading into the final /z/ voiced sound. Keep the /r/ light or rhotic depending on accent; ensure the final z is voiced, not t-s by mistake. For audio reference, imagine a brief, crisp chirp followed by a soft trailing voice on the final z.
Two frequent errors: (1) Devoicing the final /z/ into /s/ or /t/, which makes it sound like sparross. Tip: gently voice the final /z/ with relaxed vocal fold vibration and a crisp airflow. (2) Misplacing the vowel in the first syllable, swapping /ɑː/ (US) or /æ/ (UK) for the wrong quality, producing /spɜːroʊz/ or /spærɒz/. Practice with minimal pairs: sparrows vs. sparrows? (different dialects). Ensure the first syllable has a clear open vowel and the /r/ is controlled, not rolled; the second syllable should be a fast, clean /roʊ/ or /roʊz/.
In US English, you’ll typically hear /ˈspɑːroʊz/ with rhotic r and a long /oʊ/ in the second syllable; the final /z/ is clearly voiced. UK English often uses /ˈspær.əʊz/ or /ˈspɑː.rəʊz/, with a less rhotic approach in some dialects and a shorter or unstressed second syllable, and the vowel quality tends toward /əʊ/. Australian English uses /ˈspæɹəʊz/ where the vowel can be near /æ/ or /a/ with a non-rhotic tendency; the /r/ may be less pronounced in some coastal dialects. All share the final /z/ sound, but the length and quality of the first vowel and the presence of rhoticity vary by region.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster at the start /sp/ and the need to maintain a voiced final /z/ while not overemphasizing the second syllable. Some speakers de-voice /z/ or reduce the second syllable to /əz/ or /oʊz/. The tongue must move quickly from the alveolar /t/ position to the rounded /oʊ/ (or /əʊ/) vowel, requiring precise control of the jaw and lip rounding. Additionally, non-native learners often confuse /ɑː/ vs /æ/ depending on their native language, which shifts stress and rhythm.
A unique angle is the short, almost schwa-like second syllable in many UK and AU pronunciations (spar-rows vs spar-rows with a crisp second syllable). The second syllable often reduces to a light /əʊ/ or /əʊz/ depending on the region, while the first syllable carries most of the stress and vowel length. Paying attention to the transition from /r/ to the /oʊ/ can help you keep the rhythm natural across dialects, especially in connected speech.
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The word sparrow originates from Old English spærwa, related to spær(w) meaning 'sparrow' and spär? over time. It belongs to the family Passeridae, with the common house sparrow (Passer domesticus) as a key species. The root likely traces to Proto-Germanic *sparwō, with cognates in Dutch (utterling), German Sperling, and possibly related to Proto-Indo-European words for small birds. The earliest uses in Middle English appear as sp(er)we or sparwe, referencing the small seed-eating passerine. Over centuries, “sparrow” became the standard term in British English for the small, brownish birds commonly found near human settlements; the plural acquired with English regular -s suffix. In American English, “sparrows” retains the simple pluralization used for counts of multiple birds. The etymology tracks shifting spellings and pronunciation, but the semantic core—a small brown songbird that frequents hedgerows and urban areas—remains stable across centuries. The word’s cultural presence in literature (e.g., traditional bird imagery) further cements its common usage, while the generic plural form sparrows signals a collective of the species for observational or ecological discussion.
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Words that rhyme with "sparrows"
-ows sounds
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