How to pronounce "subordinates" in EnglishNoun
səˈbɔːrdənɪts
sə·BOR·də·nits
Primary stress: BOR
Hear native speakers say subordinates in context across real video clips
Linguistic Pronunciation Masterclass: “subordinates”
Phonetic mechanics, syllable architecture, and conversational cadence
Syllable Architecture & Stress Distribution
sə
Neutral schwa (⁄ə⁄): relaxed jaw, brief unstressed breath.
BOR
Tense long vowel with sustained acoustic resonance.
də
Neutral schwa (⁄ə⁄): relaxed jaw, brief unstressed breath.
nits
Neutral schwa (⁄ə⁄): relaxed jaw, brief unstressed breath.
Primary emphasis falls on the second syllable ("BOR"). 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 "subordinates" is followed by a word starting with a vowel, glide the final consonant into the opening vowel (e.g. "subordinates is" sounds like "subordinates-iz").
Maintain the stress-timed rhythm of English: compress unstressed syllables rapidly so the beat of "subordinates" aligns naturally with adjacent words.
Authentic Spoken Quotes from Native Video Context
“And finally, we have the most common subordinates, who are the newest arrivals, or the least experienced.”— TEDx TalksWatch clip
“he shared credit with ease assumed responsibility for the failure of his subordinates constantly acknowledged his errors and learned from his mistakes”— TED-EdWatch clip
“while the alpha males were fighting for breeding rights the females were having sex with subordinates he called this the sneaky effort”— Smithsonian ChannelWatch clip
“Talk about how you think about what the right relationship is with your with your subordinates really.”— CNBCWatch clip
“The most popular subordinates, they too have no power, they can't decide anything.”— TEDx TalksWatch clip
“Sometimes subordinate I mean subordinates want their chief to look good and and uh there are ways that uh”— CNBCWatch clip
Practice Speaking “subordinates”
Listen to native pronunciation, record yourself repeating the sentence into your microphone, and receive real-time word-by-word accuracy scoring.
And finally, we have the most common subordinates, who are the newest arrivals, or the least experienced.
Hear it in context: “subordinates”
33 clipsThe English word “subordinates” is transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as səˈbɔːrdənɪts (phonetic respelling: sə-BOR-də-nits). Phonologically, it consists of 4 syllables (sə · BOR · də · nits), with primary lexical stress placed on the 2nd syllable (BOR). Grammatically, “subordinates” functions as a adjective, 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 33 authentic English video clips demonstrating how native speakers articulate “subordinates” in natural connected speech across American (US: 8 sampled), British (UK), and Australian (AUS) accents, including verified broadcasts from TEDx Talks, TED-Ed, Smithsonian Channel.
Spoken Video Transcripts & Contextual Quotes (5 Verified Clips)
- 🇺🇸 USTEDx TalksClip #1 · @7:25
“someone with whom you can exchange a word of comfort, and get advice. And finally, we have the most common subordinates, who are the newest arrivals, or the least experienced. And finally, we have the most common subordinates,”
- 🇺🇸 USTED-EdClip #2 · @5:10
“repaired injured feelings that might have escalated into permanent hostility he shared credit with ease assumed responsibility for the failure of his subordinates constantly acknowledged his errors and learned from his mistakes subordinates constantly acknowledged his errors and learned from his mistakes”
- 🇺🇸 USSmithsonian ChannelClip #3 · @1:09
“important evolutionary theorists in history Maynard Smith observed that while the alpha males were fighting for breeding rights the females were having sex with subordinates he called this the sneaky effort sex with”
- 🇺🇸 USCNBCClip #4 · @10:41
“team, I'm gonna try to stamp it out. Talk about how you think about what the right relationship is with your with your subordinates really. right relationship is with your with”
- 🇺🇸 USTEDx TalksClip #5 · @7:13
“Under the vice we have the most popular subordinates. The most popular subordinates, they too have no power, they can't decide anything. they can't decide anything.”
Definition & Meaning: “subordinates”
- Placed in a lower class, rank, or position.
- Submissive or inferior to, or controlled by authority.
- One who is subordinate.
- A hyponym.
- To make subservient or secondary.
Example Sentences (3)
- “The several kinds […] and subordinate species of each are easily known.”
- “November 9, 1662, Robert South, Of the Creation of Man in the Image of God It was subordinate, not enslaved, to the understanding.”
- “and get advice. And finally, we have the most common subordinates, who are the newest arrivals, or the least experienced.”
Common Phrases & Collocations
Pronounce: “subordinates”
- Pronunciation:
- sə-BOR-də-nits
- Syllables:
- sə · BOR · də · nits
- Written Hyphenation:
- sub · or · di · nates
- Primary stress:
- BOR
- IPA:
- səˈbɔːrdənɪts
- Hear it in context
- subordinates
Synonyms: “subordinates”
Hear words related in meaning to “subordinates” in real video clips:
Words that Rhyme with “subordinates”
-ɔrdənɪtsWords that Sound Identical (Homophones)
Unique Sound"subordinates" (⁄səˈbɔːrdənɪts⁄) 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, "subordinates" has a completely distinct phonetic identity.
Frequently asked questions about subordinates
How do you pronounce “subordinates”?
“subordinates” is pronounced ⁄səˈbɔːrdənɪts⁄ (sə-BOR-də-nits). Listen to the native-speaker clips above to hear it in real conversation.
How many syllables are in “subordinates”?
“subordinates” has 4 syllables: sə · BOR · də · nits.
Where is the stress in “subordinates”?
The primary stress in “subordinates” is on “BOR”. Listen for that stressed syllable in the clips above.
What does “subordinates” mean?
Placed in a lower class, rank, or position.
How can I hear “subordinates” used in real sentences?
This page has 33 real-world video examples of “subordinates” 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 “subordinates”?
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].