How to Pronounce “Thank you” /ˈθæŋk juː/ — IPA, Audio, and Syllables
Pronunciation of “Thank you” at a Glance
Words you say to show that you appreciate what someone has done or given you.
In IPA, "thank you" is written /ˈθæŋk juː/. It has 2 syllables, with the primary stress falling on the first syllable.
How Many Syllables in “Thank you”?
"thank you" has 2 syllables: thank-you. The first syllable, "thank", carries the main stress when you say the word out loud.
A common way to count syllables is to put your hand under your chin and say "thank you" naturally — your jaw will drop 2 times, once for each vowel sound.
How to Say Each Syllable of “Thank you”
Pronouncing "thank you" cleanly comes down to nailing each syllable on its own before putting them back together. Here is what your mouth, tongue, and lips do for each part.
Syllable 1: THANK
Speak this syllable a little louder, longer, and at a higher pitch — that is what English speakers hear as "stress".
Syllable 2: you
Rounded /u/ as in "boot" — lips forward.
Once each syllable feels comfortable, blend them at a slow pace ("thank · you") and gradually speed up to natural speech.
Which Syllable is Stressed in “Thank you”?
The first syllable, "thank", is stressed in "thank you". The stress pattern is Oo — meaning primary stress, then unstressed.
What "stress" means in English pronunciation
Stressed syllables are spoken louder, longer, and at a higher pitch. Unstressed syllables are quick and quiet, and their vowels often reduce to a short schwa sound /ə/. Getting the stress right is often more important than getting every consonant perfect — wrong stress is the single biggest reason native speakers misunderstand learners.
So when you say "thank you", make "THANK" the loudest, clearest part of the word, and keep the other syllables shorter and quieter.
Common Mispronunciation of “Thank you”
"Th" pronounced as /t/ ("tank you") or /s/ ("sank you"); should be the soft, unvoiced /θ/.
"Th" pronounced as /t/ ("tank you") or /s/ ("sank you"); should be the soft, unvoiced /θ/.
Why it happens
Mispronunciations of "thank you" usually come from one of three places: spelling-driven guessing (the spelling tempts learners toward a sound that is not actually used), wrong stress placement, or transferring a vowel sound from the speaker's first language. Once you have heard the correct version a few times and matched it with the IPA /ˈθæŋk juː/ above, the spelling stops misleading you.
How to Practice Saying “Thank you”
Practice tip for "thank you"
Stress "THANK". The "th" is unvoiced /θ/ — tongue between teeth, no buzz. Quick /juː/ for "you".
Click the button, say the word out loud, and the page will score how close you are to the correct pronunciation.
Hear “Thank you” in Real Sentences
The fastest way to internalise a new pronunciation is to hear it inside natural sentences, where rhythm, linking, and stress all interact. Tap any sentence below to hear it spoken aloud.
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Thank you very much for your help.
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She said thank you and walked away.
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Thank you for your kind words at the meeting.
Practice tip: shadow each sentence — play it, immediately repeat it out loud, then play it again to compare. Three rounds is usually enough to lock in the rhythm.
Words That Sound Like “Thank you”
Looking for words that rhyme with "thank you"? The full rhyming dictionary entry has perfect rhymes, near-rhymes, and rhyming phrases for songwriting and pronunciation practice.
Frequently Asked Questions About How to Pronounce “Thank you”
How do you pronounce "thank you"?
"Thank you" is pronounced /ˈθæŋk juː/. Stress "THANK". The "th" is unvoiced /θ/ — tongue between teeth, no buzz. Quick /juː/ for "you".
How many syllables does "thank you" have?
"thank you" has 2 syllables: thank-you.
Which syllable is stressed in "thank you"?
The first syllable, "thank", is stressed in "thank you". The full stress pattern is Oo — primary stress on "thank", and the remaining syllables are unstressed.
What's a common mispronunciation of "thank you"?
"Th" pronounced as /t/ ("tank you") or /s/ ("sank you"); should be the soft, unvoiced /θ/.
Is "thank you" pronounced the same in American and British English?
"thank you" is pronounced essentially the same way in American and British English: /ˈθæŋk juː/.