How to pronounce "unknow" in English
un·know
Hear native speakers say unknow in context across real video clips
Linguistic Pronunciation Masterclass: “unknow”
Phonetic mechanics, syllable architecture, and conversational cadence
Syllable Architecture & Stress Distribution
un
Reduced vowel sound, relaxed jaw, and minimal vocal effort.
know
Reduced vowel sound, relaxed jaw, and minimal vocal effort.
Keep the vowel length balanced, placing subtle emphasis on the root morpheme according to standard conversational rhythm.
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 "unknow" is followed by a word starting with a vowel, glide the final consonant into the opening vowel (e.g. "unknow is" sounds like "unknow-iz").
In natural sentences, avoid over-stressing "unknow" unless it conveys the core contrast or focal point of your message.
Authentic Spoken Quotes from Native Video Context
“you can't unknow that people do exist in that space and have a very different reality than your own”— TEDx TalksWatch clip
“knowledge you have become experts you know something and no matter how hard you try you cannot unknow it and hear that song the way an innocent would hear”— Harvard UniversityWatch clip
“them once you have this knowledge you can't unknow it you can't delete this data from your brain but you can delete the cliched image of supplicant”— TED-EdWatch clip
“I can't unknow it, which means I can go ask Matt, hey, did you hear about XYZ thing?”— Native SpeakerWatch clip
“I'm going to visit an unknow again at his home I want to ask him about a new”— Native SpeakerWatch clip
“"Even as I deliver my body from the subway's tenebrous mercy, I cannot unknow this.”— Native SpeakerWatch clip
Practice Speaking “unknow”
Listen to native pronunciation, record yourself repeating the sentence into your microphone, and receive real-time word-by-word accuracy scoring.
you can't unknow that people do exist in that space and have a very different reality than your own
Hear it in context: “unknow”
34 clipsThe English word “unknow”. Phonologically, it consists of 2 syllables (un · know). Grammatically, “unknow” functions as a verb. SayItVid indexes 34 authentic English video clips demonstrating how native speakers articulate “unknow” in natural connected speech across American (US: 8 sampled), British (UK), and Australian (AUS) accents, including verified broadcasts from TEDx Talks, Harvard University, TED-Ed.
Spoken Video Transcripts & Contextual Quotes (5 Verified Clips)
- 🇺🇸 USTEDx TalksClip #1 · @15:35
“again i wasn't aware you can't unknow the bike lane now you can't unknow that people do exist in that space and have a very different reality than your own and have a very different reality than your own”
- 🇺🇸 USHarvard UniversityClip #2 · @15:25
“try you're ruined you're ruined you're ruined by knowledge you have become experts you know something and no matter how hard you try you cannot unknow it and hear that song the way an innocent would hear you try you cannot unknow it and hear that song the way an innocent would hear”
- 🇺🇸 USTED-EdClip #3 · @11:09
“spent this is exciting stuff look once you have these tools you can't not use them once you have this knowledge you can't unknow it you can't delete this data from your brain but you can delete the cliched image of supplicant data from your brain but you can delete the cliched image of supplicant”
- 🇺🇸 USClip #4 · @27:17
“I can't use it. I can't unknow it, which means I can go ask Matt, hey, did you hear about XYZ thing? did you hear about XYZ thing?”
- 🇺🇸 USClip #5 · @27:14
“Dana can spark a revolution all we can do for now is by time I'm going to visit an unknow again at his home I want to ask him about a new death threat against him that's come out on Twitter so you haven't seen this”
Definition & Meaning: “unknow”
- To undo the process of knowing; to lose knowledge of something.
Example Sentences (3)
- “To awaken the conscious self to the principle of the whole or Tao one needs to forget oneself, so that in knowing one unknows.”
- “you can't unknow that people do exist in that space and have a very different reality than your own”
- “knowledge you have become experts you know something and no matter how hard you try you cannot unknow it and hear that song the way an innocent would hear”
Common Phrases & Collocations
Pronounce: “unknow”
- Syllables:
- un · know
- Hear it in context
- unknow
Synonyms: “unknow”
Hear words related in meaning to “unknow” in real video clips:
Words that Sound Identical (Homophones)
Unique Sound"unknow" 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, "unknow" has a completely distinct phonetic identity.
Frequently asked questions about unknow
How many syllables are in “unknow”?
“unknow” has 2 syllables: un · know.
What does “unknow” mean?
To undo the process of knowing; to lose knowledge of something.
How can I hear “unknow” used in real sentences?
This page has 34 real-world video examples of “unknow” 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 “unknow”?
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⁄).