How to pronounce "pretend" in English
prɪˈtɛnd
prih·TEND
Primary stress: TEND
Hear native speakers say pretend in context across real video clips
Linguistic Pronunciation Masterclass: “pretend”
Phonetic mechanics, syllable architecture, and conversational cadence
Syllable Architecture & Stress Distribution
prih
Reduced vowel sound, relaxed jaw, and minimal vocal effort.
TEND
Elevated pitch, sustained vowel length, and full acoustic clarity.
Primary emphasis falls on the second syllable ("TEND"). 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 "pretend" is followed by a word starting with a vowel, glide the final consonant into the opening vowel (e.g. "pretend is" sounds like "pretend-iz").
In natural sentences, avoid over-stressing "pretend" unless it conveys the core contrast or focal point of your message.
Authentic Spoken Quotes from Native Video Context
“pretend scenario liquids fall downwards as they do in the real world this aspect of the scenario is handled with”— Native SpeakerWatch clip
“pretend that they have earned everything, that they deserve their wealth, and that they obviously are the most talented person.”— Native SpeakerWatch clip
“pretend that they don't exist-- they always do, whether they are stated or unstated-- and recognizing that sometimes what”— Native SpeakerWatch clip
“Pretend this was happening by allowing Terraform to create fake blockchain records that simply mimicked the non Terraform payments”— Native SpeakerWatch clip
“pretend to know why 10: 00 proved to be such an awful time for a talk show but”— Native SpeakerWatch clip
“pretend otherwise." And this great, one of those things, got a big hand, which of course, stung Norman.”— Native SpeakerWatch clip
Practice Speaking “pretend”
Listen to native pronunciation, record yourself repeating the sentence into your microphone, and receive real-time word-by-word accuracy scoring.
pretend scenario liquids fall downwards as they do in the real world this aspect of the scenario is handled with
Hear it in context: “pretend”
5,398 clipsThe English word “pretend” is transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as prɪˈtɛnd (phonetic respelling: prih-TEND). Phonologically, it consists of 2 syllables (prih · TEND), with primary lexical stress placed on the 2nd syllable (TEND). Grammatically, “pretend” functions as a verb, adjective, noun and acts as an English heteronym where syllable stress shifts between noun (initial-syllable stress) and verb (second-syllable stress) usage. SayItVid indexes 5,398 authentic English video clips demonstrating how native speakers articulate “pretend” 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 · @37:40
“teapot with the cup because in the pretend scenario liquids fall downwards as they do in the real world this aspect of the scenario is handled with as they do in the real world this aspect”
- 🇺🇸 USClip #2 · @3:06
“and a lot of people who are super, super rich, you know, pretend that they have earned everything, that they deserve their wealth, and that they obviously are the most talented person. that they deserve their wealth,”
- 🇺🇸 USClip #3 · @34:05
“in a hierarchy, because hierarchies we might pretend that they don't exist-- they always do, whether they are stated or unstated-- and recognizing that sometimes what they always do, whether they are stated or unstated--”
- 🇺🇸 USClip #4 · @16:00
“simply allowed Terraform to prot. Pretend this was happening by allowing Terraform to create fake blockchain records that simply mimicked the non Terraform payments allowing Terraform to create fake”
- 🇺🇸 USClip #5 · @10:10
“first heard it this is never going to work I don't know how exactly I don't pretend to know why 10: 00 proved to be such an awful time for a talk show but it is the psychology of that that much later when the tonight show's on and”
Definition & Meaning: “pretend”
- To speak or behave so as to give a false or simulated appearance.
- Not really what it is represented as being; imaginary, feigned.
- The act of engaging in pretend play.
Example Sentences (3)
- “You don't have to pretend that the soup tastes fine.”
- “She moved her fingers across the desk, pretending to play the piano.”
- “pretend scenario liquids fall downwards as they do in the real world this aspect of the scenario is handled with”
Common Phrases & Collocations
Pronounce: “pretend”
- Pronunciation:
- prih-TEND
- Syllables:
- prih · TEND
- Written Hyphenation:
- pre · tend
- Primary stress:
- TEND
- IPA:
- prɪˈtɛnd
- Hear it in context
- pretend
Synonyms: “pretend”
Hear words related in meaning to “pretend” in real video clips:
Words that Rhyme with “pretend”
-ɛndWords that Sound Identical (Homophones)
Unique Sound"pretend" (⁄prɪˈtɛnd⁄) 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, "pretend" has a completely distinct phonetic identity.
Frequently asked questions about pretend
How do you pronounce “pretend”?
“pretend” is pronounced ⁄prɪˈtɛnd⁄ (prih-TEND). Listen to the native-speaker clips above to hear it in real conversation.
How many syllables are in “pretend”?
“pretend” has 2 syllables: prih · TEND.
Where is the stress in “pretend”?
The primary stress in “pretend” is on “TEND”. Listen for that stressed syllable in the clips above.
What does “pretend” mean?
To speak or behave so as to give a false or simulated appearance.
How can I hear “pretend” used in real sentences?
This page has 5398 real-world video examples of “pretend” 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 “pretend”?
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].