2 syllables: Stu, dent. Stress on Stu.
STOO-duhnt
/ˈstudənt/
Student is pronounced STOO-duhnt (/ˈstudənt/). It has two syllables (Stu-dent), with the stress on "Stu". Student (noun): a person who is enrolled in learning or study, typically at a school or university. It can refer to any learner, including pupils, undergraduates, or lifelong learners, and emphasizes the role of being actively engaged in study rather than the teacher. The term also appears in compound contexts like student-athlete or student housing, reflecting the learner identity across settings.
nounStudent (noun): a person who is enrolled in learning or study, typically at a school or university. It can refer to any learner, including pupils, undergraduates, or lifelong learners, and emphasizes the role of being actively engaged in study rather than the teacher. The term also appears in compound contexts like student-athlete or student housing, reflecting the learner identity across settings.
- You: you’ll hear common mispronunciations like turning /juː/ into /uː/ or /juː/ into /u/; fix by emphasizing the first syllable with /ˈstjuː.dənt/ or /ˈstuː.dənt/ depending on your accent. - You: you might reduce /d/ or link the final /nt/ into /n/ when speaking quickly; practice with held /t/ and crisp /nt/ to avoid mispronunciation. - You: you may drop the second syllable vowel to a schwa; keep the /ə/ in the second syllable and a clear /nt/ for accuracy. - Tips: practice with minimal pairs: suit — soot; student — suited; tie/dent; focus on maintaining the long /uː/ in the first syllable and the /ə/ in the second.
How to Pronounce Student
"The student asked the teacher for extra help after class."
"Women students organized a campus club focused on science outreach."
"A bright student can master difficult material with consistent practice."
Pronounce as two syllables: STU- dent, with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA: US /ˈstjuː.dənt/ or /ˈstuː.dənt/, UK /ˈstjuː.dənt/ and AU /ˈstjuː.dənt/. Start with a rounded /s/ followed by a long /uː/ or /juː/ depending on accent, then a schwa in the second syllable and a clear final /nt/. For careful articulation, ensure the /t/ is lightly released and the final /nt/ is crisp rather than swallowed. Audio reference: listen to native pronunciations on Cambridge, Oxford, or Forvo entries for 'student' and imitate the mouth shape: lips rounded for the /uː/ and a relaxed jaw for the /ə/.
Common errors: 1) Reducing the first syllable to a short /ʌ/ or /ɪ/ as in 'studen' instead of the long /uː/. Correct by exaggerating the /uː/ vowel: /ˈstjuː/ or /ˈstuː/. 2) Misplacing stress, saying 'stu-dent' with even stress; keep primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈstjuː.dənt/. 3) Final cluster /nt/ pronounced as /n/ or /t/ without holding; aim for a clean /nt/ with light release. Practice with minimal pairs and syllable drills to lock the sound.
US often uses /ˈstuː.dənt/ or /ˈstjuː.dənt/ with rhoticity not affecting vowel quality; UK tends to /ˈstjuː.dənt/ with slight schwa in the second syllable; Australian English often aligns with UK in vowel height but may be a shorter /ə/ in the second syllable and less rhotic influence. All share the two-syllable pattern with primary stress on the first. Pay attention to the /ruː/ vs /uː/ realization and the linking of the /j/ sound in /stjuː/ where present.
The difficulty centers on the initial long vowel and the semi-palatal /j/ sequence in /stjuː/ in many accents, plus the subtle difference between /uː/ and /juː/ and the final /nt/. Learners often mis‑realize the /st/ onset, reduce the second syllable too much, or merge /ənt/ into /ən/ or /nt/ into /n/. Focusing on a precise two-syllable rhythm and practicing the /j/ glide in /stjuː/ helps.IPA cues help: US /ˈstjuː.dənt/ or /ˈstuː.dənt/, UK /ˈstjuː.dənt/, AU /ˈstjuː.dənt/.
The most distinctive feature is the /stjuː/ onset in many accents, where the /j/ sound is often a vowel glide rather than a fully articulated consonant. In careful speech you’ll hear /stj/ transitions into /stuː/ or /stjuː./ depending on speaker and dialect. This glide can be subtle in fast speech, so you’ll benefit from practicing the two-syllable rhythm in isolation and in connected phrases like 'the student council'.
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- US: two-syllable rhythm with stressed first syllable; vary length of /uː/ slightly, practice /ˈstjuː.dənt/ or /ˈstuː.dənt/. - UK: stronger /j/ articulation in /stjuː/; vowel often slightly shorter; maintain /ə/ in second syllable. - AU: similar to UK but with less rhoticity; ensure non-rhoticity doesn’t cause vowel length to compress. Vowel quality: /uː/ tends to rounded lips; /ə/ is schwa with neutral mouth; final /nt/ crisp. IPA references: US /ˈstjuː.dənt/; UK /ˈstjuː.dənt/; AU /ˈstjuː.dənt/.
The word student comes from the Latin studēns, present participle of studēre meaning 'to study, be eager, strive after'. Studēns evolved into Old French etudiant, then Late Latin studens, and entered English in the 14th century as student. The original sense emphasized someone who is devoted to study or engaged in learning, not necessarily a pupil of a particular institution. After the rise of formal schooling and universities in medieval and early modern Europe, the term broadened to include anyone enrolled in an educational program, at all levels. Throughout its history, the word carried connotations of diligence, discipline, and intellectual curiosity. In modern usage, it covers schoolchildren and university attendees, and by extension, learners in non-traditional settings who are actively pursuing knowledge. The semantic emphasis remains on active participation in study rather than passive attendance, which explains phrases like student life and student housing that frame the learner’s experience as a phase of development and identity formation.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Student" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Student"
-ted sounds
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