How to pronounce "self deprecate" in English
ˌsɛlfˈdɛprəˌkeɪt
self·DEP·rə·kayt
Primary stress: DEP
We haven’t indexed spoken video clips for this word in our library yet. You can listen to its audio pronunciation, review phonetic IPA, and check definitions below.
No video clips indexed yet for “self deprecate”
We haven’t indexed spoken video clips for this word in our library yet. You can listen to its audio pronunciation, review phonetic IPA, and check definitions below.
Linguistic Pronunciation Masterclass: “self deprecate”
Phonetic mechanics, syllable architecture, and conversational cadence
Syllable Architecture & Stress Distribution
self
Neutral schwa (⁄ə⁄): relaxed jaw, brief unstressed breath.
DEP
Gliding diphthong with sustained vocal resonance.
rə
Neutral schwa (⁄ə⁄): relaxed jaw, brief unstressed breath.
kayt
Neutral schwa (⁄ə⁄): relaxed jaw, brief unstressed breath.
Primary emphasis falls on the second syllable ("DEP"). Raise your pitch and sustain the vowel length on this syllable while relaxing the surrounding syllables.
Common Pronunciation Traps & Learner Mistakes
The Trap: Pronouncing a hard, aspirated [tʰ] in casual conversation can sound overly formal in North America.
How Native Speakers Say It: In American English, a single "t" between vowels quickly taps against the alveolar ridge like a soft "d" ([ɾ]). In British English, maintain a crisp aspirated [tʰ].
Connected Speech & Natural Conversational Flow
When followed by a vowel, insert a subtle glide (/w/ or /j/) to connect into the subsequent word without an abrupt glottal stop.
Maintain the stress-timed rhythm of English: compress unstressed syllables rapidly so the beat of "self deprecate" aligns naturally with adjacent words.
Practice Speaking “self deprecate”
Listen to native pronunciation, record yourself repeating the sentence into your microphone, and receive real-time word-by-word accuracy scoring.
He tends to self-deprecate whenever someone compliments his hard work.
Hear it in context: “self deprecate”
The English word “self deprecate” is transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as ˌsɛlfˈdɛprəˌkeɪt (phonetic respelling: self-DEP-rə-kayt). Phonologically, it consists of 4 syllables (self · DEP · rə · kayt), with primary lexical stress placed on the 2nd syllable (DEP). Grammatically, “self deprecate” functions as a verb. Hear native speakers say self deprecate in context across real video clips
Definition & Meaning: “self deprecate”
- To express disapproval of oneself or belittle one's own abilities and achievements.
Example Sentences (1)
- “He tends to self-deprecate whenever someone compliments his hard work.”
Pronounce: “self deprecate”
- Pronunciation:
- self-DEP-rə-kayt
- Syllables:
- self · DEP · rə · kayt
- Written Hyphenation:
- self · dep · re · cate
- Primary stress:
- DEP
- IPA:
- ˌsɛlfˈdɛprəˌkeɪt
- Hear it in context
- self deprecate
Words that Sound Identical (Homophones)
Unique Sound"self deprecate" (⁄ˌsɛlfˈdɛprəˌkeɪt⁄) 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, "self deprecate" has a completely distinct phonetic identity.
Frequently asked questions about self deprecate
How do you pronounce “self deprecate”?
“self deprecate” is pronounced ⁄ˌsɛlfˈdɛprəˌkeɪt⁄ (self-DEP-rə-kayt). Listen to the audio pronunciation above to hear it spoken clearly.
How many syllables are in “self deprecate”?
“self deprecate” has 4 syllables: self · DEP · rə · kayt.
Where is the stress in “self deprecate”?
The primary stress in “self deprecate” is on “DEP”.
What does “self deprecate” mean?
To express disapproval of oneself or belittle one's own abilities and achievements.
What is the most common pronunciation mistake when saying “self deprecate”?
Pronouncing a hard, aspirated [tʰ] in casual conversation can sound overly formal in North America. In American English, a single "t" between vowels quickly taps against the alveolar ridge like a soft "d" ([ɾ]). In British English, maintain a crisp aspirated [tʰ].