3 syllables: Straw, ber, ries. Stress on Straw.
STRAW-ber-eez
/ˈstɹɔˌbɛɹiz/
Strawberries is pronounced STRAW-ber-eez (/ˈstɹɔˌbɛɹiz/). It has three syllables (Straw-ber-ries), with the stress on "Straw". Strawberries is a plural noun referring to the sweet, red, aggregate fruits of the garden strawberry plant. In everyday usage, it denotes the fruit itself and, by extension, foods or dishes containing strawberries. The word is commonly used in culinary contexts, markets, and recipes, and carries a bright, summery connotation in many varieties of English.
nounStrawberries is a plural noun referring to the sweet, red, aggregate fruits of the garden strawberry plant. In everyday usage, it denotes the fruit itself and, by extension, foods or dishes containing strawberries. The word is commonly used in culinary contexts, markets, and recipes, and carries a bright, summery connotation in many varieties of English.
"I bought a basket of strawberries at the market this morning."
"Strawberries with cream is my favorite dessert."
"She sliced the strawberries and added them to the yogurt."
US: /ˈstrɔˌbɛriz/. Place the primary stress on STRAW-, then glide into -berries with a light, schwa-like linking in rapid speech. Start with a rounded lips on /ɔ/, then move to /bɛr/ and end with /iz/. In slow speech, clearly separate /ˈstrɔ/ and /ˌbɛrɪz/. Acoustic cue: a two-part rhythm: STRAW- (beat 1) + -beries (beat 2).
Mistakes include merging the /ɔ/ and /æ/ sounds, saying /ˈstræˌbɛriz/ or dropping the second syllable, and mispronouncing /ɪ/ as /i:/. Correction: keep /ɔ/ in STRAW- before /b/; articulate the second syllable as /ˈbɛr/ with a clear /r/; end with a light /ɪz/ rather than /iz/ for clarity in American English. Practice slowly with a two-beat rhythm, then add speed.
US: rhotic /r/ and flatter /ɔ/; UK: non-rhotic or reduced /ˈstrɔːbəriz/ with a stronger /ə/ in -berries; AU: closer to US in rhoticity but vowels can be broader, with /ˈstrɒːˌbɛɹiz/ depending on region. Focus on the middle /ə/ or /ɪ/ depending. IPA notes: US /ˈstrɔˌbɛrɪz/; UK /ˈstrɔː.bə.ɹiːz/ or /ˈstrɔː.bər.iz/; AU /ˈstrɒː.bɛ.ɹiz/.
Key challenges: coordinating the ST- starting consonant cluster with the /r/ vowel in STR- and keeping the /ɔ/ or /ɒ/ quality consistent before /b/. The second syllable requires a quick /br/ onset and a clear /ɛ/ vowel, then ending with a voiced /z/. The sequence /strɔˌbɛr/ can be hard in rapid speech because of the dense consonant cluster. Practice deliberate articulation and rhythm.
Unique issue: the word’s plural ends with an /z/ in American English but can be perceived as /s/ or /z/ depending on adjacent words or inflection in connected speech. When saying “strawberries are,” the /z/ is typically voiced; in fast speech it may partially devoice. Mind the linked consonants across words to maintain clarity. IPA guidance: /ˈstrɔˌbɛriz/, with final /z/ voice.
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Strawberries comes from Old English strawberry, composition of straw + berry, referring to the practice of using straw as mulch or bed lining around the plant. The modern form strawberry emerged by the 15th century in English, with regional spellings like strawberry and straeberie attested in Middle English. The term strawberry originally referred to the plant’s straw-covered beds and the fruit that lay on or near the surface, which aided harvesting. The word has Germanic roots in the word ‘strēow’ (straw) and ‘ber(e)’ (berry). Over time, culinary usage expanded, especially in 18th–19th century Britain and the United States, where strawberries became a symbol of summer luxury, spurring the creation of desserts and preserves. The fruit’s association with cultivation, market sales, and seasonal eating helped embed it as a staple noun in mainstream English usage. First known written usage traces to early literatures where strawberries were widely referenced in recipes and agrarian texts, gradually becoming ubiquitous in modern English literature and speech.
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Words that rhyme with "Strawberries"
-ies sounds
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