How to Pronounce “car”: British vs American vs Australian
Dialect Analysis & Sound Shift
US pronounces the post-vocalic 'r' (⁄kɑːr⁄); UK and Australia drop it into a long vowel (⁄kɑː⁄).
Linguistic Feature: Rhoticity & R-SoundsAmerican English (US)
⁄kɑːr⁄
Rhotic: audible retroflex/bunched 'r'
British English (UK)
⁄kɑː⁄
Non-rhotic: elongated open vowel
Australian English (AUS)
⁄kɑː⁄
Non-rhotic: elongated open vowel
Watch Native Speakers by Accent
105 native video clipsAccent Battle: Which pronunciation do you prefer for "car"?
Vote to see live community preferences • 105 votes
Dialect Analysis & Sound Shift: “car”
Rhoticity is the single most defining phonological difference between North American and British/Australian English. In non-rhotic accents, historical "r" after a vowel is silent unless followed immediately by another vowel.
Frequently Asked Questions: "Car" Accent Differences
How do Americans and Britons pronounce "car" differently?
Rhoticity is the single most defining phonological difference between North American and British/Australian English. In non-rhotic accents, historical "r" after a vowel is silent unless followed immediately by another vowel.
Which English accent is considered the standard for "car"?
Neither is universally superior. General American (GA) is the predominant broadcast standard in North America, while Received Pronunciation (RP) / BBC English is standard across the UK and widely taught across Europe.
How does Australian pronunciation of "car" compare to British and American?
Non-rhotic: elongated open vowel
How can I practice switching between US and UK pronunciations for "car"?
Watch native video clips back-to-back using SayItVid's comparison player. Pay close attention to mouth positioning, vowel length, and whether the final or post-vocalic /r/ sound is pronounced.