How to pronounce "today" in English
təˈdeɪ
tə·DAY
Primary stress: DAY
Hear native speakers say today in context across real video clips
Linguistic Pronunciation Masterclass: “today”
Phonetic mechanics, syllable architecture, and conversational cadence
Syllable Architecture & Stress Distribution
tə
Neutral schwa (⁄ə⁄): relaxed jaw, brief unstressed breath.
DAY
Gliding diphthong with sustained vocal resonance.
Primary emphasis falls on the second syllable ("DAY"). Raise your pitch and sustain the vowel length on this syllable while relaxing the surrounding syllables.
Common Pronunciation Traps & Learner Mistakes
The Trap: Avoid pronouncing every vowel with full acoustic weight. Non-native speakers often over-enunciate unstressed vowels.
How Native Speakers Say It: Only give full vowel clarity to the primary stressed syllable. Relax all unstressed vowels into a neutral, low-energy schwa (⁄ə⁄).
Connected Speech & Natural Conversational Flow
When "today" is followed by a word starting with a vowel, glide the final consonant into the opening vowel (e.g. "today is" sounds like "today-iz").
In natural sentences, avoid over-stressing "today" unless it conveys the core contrast or focal point of your message.
Authentic Spoken Quotes from Native Video Context
“Today, the sci-fi artificial intelligence devices of our dreams have been woven into the very fabric of modern life.”— Native SpeakerWatch clip
“Today, at any given moment, there are roughly 10, 000 to 14, 000 planes in the sky.”— Native SpeakerWatch clip
“today, you needed to be able to do two kinds of things.”— Native SpeakerWatch clip
“today. And this changed. They were drinking milk. They had one set of baby teeth, one set of adult teeth. Some of the bones that used to be in their lower jaw shriveled up and actually moved”— Native SpeakerWatch clip
“Today, you can't even win a Twitter cycle, because by noon, something else has come out.”— Native SpeakerWatch clip
“Today, we're thrilled to have her with us as her next professional endeavor takes flight.”— Native SpeakerWatch clip
Practice Speaking “today”
Listen to native pronunciation, record yourself repeating the sentence into your microphone, and receive real-time word-by-word accuracy scoring.
Today, the sci-fi artificial intelligence devices of our dreams have been woven into the very fabric of modern life.
Hear it in context: “today”
289,033 clipsThe English word “today” is transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as təˈdeɪ (phonetic respelling: tə-DAY). Phonologically, it consists of 2 syllables (tə · DAY), with primary lexical stress placed on the 2nd syllable (DAY). Grammatically, “today” functions as a adverb, noun, adjective. SayItVid indexes 289,033 authentic English video clips demonstrating how native speakers articulate “today” in natural connected speech across American (US: 8 sampled), British (UK), and Australian (AUS) accents.
Spoken Video Transcripts & Contextual Quotes (5 Verified Clips)
- 🇺🇸 USClip #1 · @0:54
“Fast forward 100 years. Today, the sci-fi artificial intelligence devices of our dreams have been woven into the very fabric of modern life. have been woven into the very fabric of modern life.”
- 🇺🇸 USClip #2 · @32:03
“So, tickets got cheaper and air travel exploded. Today, at any given moment, there are roughly 10, 000 to 14, 000 planes in the sky. to 14,000 planes in the sky.”
- 🇺🇸 USClip #3 · @9:31
“successful in that period and and still today, you needed to be able to do two kinds of things. You needed to sort out kinds of things. You needed to sort out”
- 🇺🇸 USClip #4 · @37:17
“ancestors where you would have just new teeth growing all the time, kind of like in a shark today. And this changed. They were drinking milk. They had one set of baby teeth, one set of adult teeth. Some of the bones that used to be in their lower jaw shriveled up and actually moved of adult teeth. Some of the bones that used to be in their lower jaw shriveled up and actually moved”
- 🇺🇸 USClip #5 · @4:03
“are not even the breakthrough of the day. Today, you can't even win a Twitter cycle, because by noon, something else has come out. because by noon, something else has come out.”
Definition & Meaning: “today”
- On the current day or date.
- In the current era; nowadays; these days.
- The current day or date.
- The 24-hour period beginning at 5 or 6 a.m. or sunrise of the current day.
- Current; up to date.
Example Sentences (3)
- “I want this done today.”
- “In the 1500s, people had to do things by hand, but today we have electric can openers.”
- “Today, the sci-fi artificial intelligence devices of our dreams have been woven into the very fabric of modern life.”
Common Phrases & Collocations
Pronounce: “today”
- Pronunciation:
- tə-DAY
- Syllables:
- tə · DAY
- Written Hyphenation:
- to · day
- Primary stress:
- DAY
- IPA:
- təˈdeɪ
- Hear it in context
- today
Synonyms: “today”
Hear words related in meaning to “today” in real video clips:
Words that Rhyme with “today”
-eɪWords that Sound Identical (Homophones)
Unique Sound"today" (⁄təˈdeɪ⁄) 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, "today" has a completely distinct phonetic identity.
Frequently asked questions about today
How do you pronounce “today”?
“today” is pronounced ⁄təˈdeɪ⁄ (tə-DAY). Listen to the native-speaker clips above to hear it in real conversation.
How many syllables are in “today”?
“today” has 2 syllables: tə · DAY.
Where is the stress in “today”?
The primary stress in “today” is on “DAY”. Listen for that stressed syllable in the clips above.
What does “today” mean?
On the current day or date.
How can I hear “today” used in real sentences?
This page has 289033 real-world video examples of “today” 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 “today”?
Avoid pronouncing every vowel with full acoustic weight. Non-native speakers often over-enunciate unstressed vowels. Only give full vowel clarity to the primary stressed syllable. Relax all unstressed vowels into a neutral, low-energy schwa (⁄ə⁄).