How to pronounce "nuh" in English
ˈnɐː
NⱯː
Primary stress: NⱯː
Hear native speakers say nuh in context across real video clips
Linguistic Pronunciation Masterclass: “nuh”
Phonetic mechanics, syllable architecture, and conversational cadence
Syllable Architecture & Stress Distribution
NⱯː
Elevated pitch, sustained vowel length, and full acoustic clarity.
As a single-syllable word, "nuh" receives full primary stress when spoken in isolation, though it may take a reduced weak form in connected speech when acting as a function word.
Common Pronunciation Traps & Learner Mistakes
The Trap: Single-syllable words like "nuh" carry primary acoustic prominence in isolation, but can be swallowed in rapid connected speech.
How Native Speakers Say It: Sustain vowel clarity without rushing into the trailing consonant. Elevate pitch slightly when "nuh" carries the primary contrast or new information in a sentence.
Connected Speech & Natural Conversational Flow
When "nuh" is followed by a word starting with a vowel, glide the final consonant into the opening vowel (e.g. "nuh is" sounds like "nuh-iz").
In natural sentences, avoid over-stressing "nuh" unless it conveys the core contrast or focal point of your message.
Authentic Spoken Quotes from Native Video Context
“In the Gospel of John, nuh-uh, Jesus says "I am," he's the one who spoke to Moses.”— YaleCoursesWatch clip
“"I'm sorry about it" was originally "nuh-muh-zah-kay-in."”— MIT OpenCourseWareWatch clip
“The 'nuh' in 'an' is ind of like a springboard from one vowel sound into the next.”— Khan AcademyWatch clip
“the N as beginning 'uh': nuh, nuh, ah nuh, on a, on a.”— Rachel's EnglishWatch clip
“Nuh-uh. I knew that future me would not be happy.”— TEDx TalksWatch clip
“one nuh no State there annihilates right zero on the”— StanfordWatch clip
Practice Speaking “nuh”
Listen to native pronunciation, record yourself repeating the sentence into your microphone, and receive real-time word-by-word accuracy scoring.
In the Gospel of John, nuh-uh, Jesus says "I am," he's the one who spoke to Moses.
Hear it in context: “nuh”
43 clipsThe English word “nuh” is transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as ˈnɐː (phonetic respelling: NⱯː). Phonologically, it consists of 1 syllable (NⱯː), pronounced as a single stressed monosyllable. Grammatically, “nuh” functions as a interjection, noun, verb and acts as an English heteronym where syllable stress shifts between noun (initial-syllable stress) and verb (second-syllable stress) usage. SayItVid indexes 43 authentic English video clips demonstrating how native speakers articulate “nuh” in natural connected speech across American (US: 8 sampled), British (UK), and Australian (AUS) accents, including verified broadcasts from YaleCourses, MIT OpenCourseWare, Khan Academy.
Spoken Video Transcripts & Contextual Quotes (5 Verified Clips)
- 🇺🇸 USYaleCoursesClip #1 · @49:35
“and Jesus could be even the Messiah and divine and still not be "I am." In the Gospel of John, nuh-uh, Jesus says "I am," he's the one who spoke to Moses. In the Gospel of John, nuh-uh, Jesus says "I”
- 🇺🇸 USMIT OpenCourseWareClip #2 · @68:37
“So for example, here's another instance of the same thing. "I'm sorry about it" was originally "nuh-muh-zah-kay-in." Getting rid of the first and third vowels in that would have "nuh-muh-zah-kay-in."”
- 🇺🇸 USKhan AcademyClip #3 · @4:11
“for my snack today, I ate an apple. The 'nuh' in 'an' is ind of like a springboard from one vowel sound into the next. from one vowel sound into the next.”
- 🇺🇸 USRachel's EnglishClip #4 · @1:11
“as beginning the next word to help us link. For example, the phrase 'on a': think of the N as beginning 'uh': nuh, nuh, ah nuh, on a, on a. So let's combine these two rules. If we have a word that ends in RT, or a vowel or”
- 🇺🇸 USTEDx TalksClip #5 · @5:50
“and possibly closing many doors with incredible opportunities behind them. Nuh-uh. I knew that future me would not be happy. And it also made me think about what life would be like if I hadn’t”
Definition & Meaning: “nuh”
- no, nah
- Alternative spelling of nah.
- Pronunciation spelling of nut.
- Pronunciation spelling of nut.
Example Sentences (3)
- “"Who the fuh tryna nuh in my buh?"”
- “be "I am." In the Gospel of John, nuh-uh, Jesus says "I am," he's the one who spoke to Moses.”
- “"I'm sorry about it" was originally "nuh-muh-zah-kay-in." Getting rid of the first and third vowels in that would have”
Common Phrases & Collocations
Pronounce: “nuh”
- Pronunciation:
- NⱯː
- Syllables:
- NⱯː
- Written Hyphenation:
- nuh
- Primary stress:
- NⱯː
- IPA:
- ˈnɐː
- Hear it in context
- nuh
Words that Rhyme with “nuh”
-ɐːWords that Sound Identical (Homophones)
Unique Sound"nuh" (⁄ˈnɐː⁄) has no true homophones in standard English — there are no other words with identical pronunciation. Unlike sound-alike pairs like there / their or peace / piece, "nuh" has a completely distinct phonetic identity.
Frequently asked questions about nuh
How do you pronounce “nuh”?
“nuh” is pronounced ⁄ˈnɐː⁄ (NⱯː). Listen to the native-speaker clips above to hear it in real conversation.
Where is the stress in “nuh”?
The primary stress in “nuh” is on “NⱯː”. Listen for that stressed syllable in the clips above.
What does “nuh” mean?
no, nah
How can I hear “nuh” used in real sentences?
This page has 43 real-world video examples of “nuh” with synchronized subtitles. Use Previous / Next (or ← / → keys) to hear each one at the exact moment it is spoken.
What is the most common pronunciation mistake when saying “nuh”?
Single-syllable words like "nuh" carry primary acoustic prominence in isolation, but can be swallowed in rapid connected speech. Sustain vowel clarity without rushing into the trailing consonant. Elevate pitch slightly when "nuh" carries the primary contrast or new information in a sentence.