The /p/ sound is familiar to most people and its pronunciation may seem fairly easy. Yet the American /p/ is not that simple. There are many ways this sound is pronounced, depending on its position in a word.
In this video, you’ll learn the American pronunciation of the /p/ sound, including little-known pronunciation rules, such as aspiration and the Final Stop Rule.
You’ll also practice the /p/ sound with pronunciation exercises, professionally recorded by a speech-language pathologist specializing in American English pronunciation (and all-around a great guy).
Liked the video? You’ll love our website:
Quick links:
• Consonant sound /p/, as in “pie:” 00:00
• Review: 00:53
• How to make the /p/ consonant sound: 02:12
• Pronunciation exercise 1: 02:46
• Pronunciation exercise 2: 05:00
• Pronunciation exercise 3: 06:49
Related videos:
#AmericanPronunciation #ConsonantSounds #StopSounds
► Stop Sounds Overview:
► Consonant Sound /b/ as in “boy”
► Consonant Sound /t/ as in “toy”
► Consonant Sound Flap ‘T’ /t̬/ as in “water”
► Consonant Sound Glottal ‘T’ /ʔ/ as in “button”
► Consonant Sound /d/ as in “dog”
► Consonant Sound /k/ as in “key”
► Consonant Sound /g/ as in “gift”
[ THIS VIDEO HAS ENGLISH, SPANISH, JAPANESE, CHINESE, VIETNAMESE, PORTUGUESE, AND KOREAN SUBTITLES]
————————————————————————————————————
TRANSCRIPT
Hello there! This is the “Sounds American” channel.
In this video, we’re going to talk about the American consonant sound /p/, as in the word “pie.” You can also hear this sound in words like “play,” “cup,” “paper” or “supper.”
We’ll be using a special phonetic symbol – /p/ – for this sound.
The /p/ is one of six sounds in the stop consonants category.
The stop sounds may seem easy to pronounce. But they’re more difficult if you try to pronounce them with an American accent.
Why? Let’s find out.
We’ll start with reviewing what we learned in the Stops Sounds Overview video.
The /p/ is made by stopping the air with your lips.
The /p/ is a voiceless sound. It has a voiced counterpart, the consonant sound /b/.
Like with all stop consonants, aspiration is important when you pronounce the /p/ sound.
The /p/ is made with a strong puff of air at the beginning of words and stressed syllables.
At the end of words and syllables, the /p/ follows the final stop rule and is not aspirated.
There’s one more thing. The /p/ sound is also unaspirated after the /s/ consonant.
Check out these examples:
• “peak,” “repeat,” “paper”
• “keep,” “tape,” “update”
• “speak,” “spring,” “spoil’
Now let’s take a closer look at how to pronounce this sound.
First, press your lips together to stop the air in your mouth.
Next, part your lips and release the air with a strong puff.
If you make this sound correctly, you’ll hear a burst of air.
Now, let’s try saying it: /p/, /p/, /p/.
[Pronunciation Exercise 1]
Now, let’s practice. We’ll start with the /p/ at the beginning of words.
Remember that the /p/ in this position is aspirated, so make sure you pronounce it with a strong puff of air.
You already know how the practice works, but just in case, we’ll say it again :).
You’ll see a word on the screen and hear its pronunciation. Like this.
You’ll have a few seconds to pronounce the word. Try to practice as many words as possible, this is the most important part of the whole lesson.
Let’s begin!
• pack
• pad
• page
• paint
• park
• part
• paw
• peace
• pet
• place
• plan
• please
• plus
• point
• port
• post
• prepare
• present
• puff
• put
[Pronunciation Exercise 2]
Let’s pause here for a second and review the final stop rule: stop sounds at the end of words are made without a puff of air. This is what we’ll practice with the next group of words.
Let’s continue practicing.
• cap
• cheap
• chip
• chop
• clap
• drip
• drop
• flap
• group
• gulp
• help
• jump
• keep
• map
• shape
• sharp
• shop
• sleep
• step
• swipe
[Pronunciation Exercise 3]
Awesome! Now let’s practice pronouncing words with the /p/ sound following the /s/ sound. Remember to make the /p/ without a puff of air.
Here you go.
• speak
• spear
• speech
• spell
• spend
• spent
• spider
• spill
• spin
• spit
• spite
• spoil
• spoke
• spree
• spy
You’re done! Congratulations!
Now that you know how to make the /p/ stop sound, all you need is to practice regularly. This is how you’ll improve your American accent.
Click Like if you like this video and share it with your friends!
Don’t forget to subscribe, but more importantly, come back and practice!
source
🎉Great news!🎉 Our brand new Sounds American website is up and running!🚀🎊 There's lots of content on pronunciation.🤓You can start with the article about the /p/ sound: https://soundsamerican.net/article/consonant_sound_p_as_in_pie
In your videos you say that the stop sounds are aspirated at the beginning of words and STRESSED syllables, though in comments you explain that they are aspirated at the beginning of words and syllables (no matter if it's stressed). As I understand in words "paper, people, apple, purple " the second /p/ is not aspirated as the syllables with the second /p/ is not stressed.
thank so much for sharing your knowledge, greetings from Medellin Colombia
I LIKE YOUR VIDEO
2:30
It's really sad that there's no such a channel for practicing British pronunciation 🙁
wow! American English has so many rules to follow for pronunciation of correct English. Thanks for sharing
It is awesome..
❤❤❤ thank u
what about with the word Phantom
How can I download or install this app on mobile for practicing?
3:30
Iam very confused about ( p ) at the end of the word , is it same as b when it comes at the end of the word ?
Thanks a lot from the bottom of my heart
This is called:
Voiceless bilabial plosive
A pulmonic consanant
What’s the app name ?
I am very thankful to you because you are my tutor and I folow your videos daily and i do practice on your souns
Awesome videos. Thanks a million.
Where can I get these lecture slide?
Pushin P
Great work thx a lot .. u illustrated that P in the middle after S without puff .. but about other p in the middle of the word .. is there any specific rules?
Do you have app for this?
Hi I have one question
Does /p/ in "happy" and "speak" sound the same, as an unaspirated sound?
If so, does this also apply to /k/ sound, like in word "skate" and "second"?
Hello, I have a question: how to pronounce pl. I think the /p/ sounds a little like /pu/ in pl.
Pyhʒɛ
It's hard to distinguish the stop sounds at the end of words, or these words are pronounced without a puff of air between /b-p/, /t-d/, and /k-g/, and I can't pronounce them correctly. Can you show me how to do that? Thank you in advance!
Could you please help me with the followings. Are they correct?
1st case/ If a consonant is behind /p/ ==> /p/ is pronounced AS UNRELEASED /P/ in the same word or linking /p/ in first word with the consonant in the next word EXCEPT FOR 2nd case, 3rd case below
Stop the car
Open / ˈoʊpn/
People / ˈpipl /
Apple /ˈæpl /
Purple /ˈpərpl/
2nd case/ /pl/, /pr/ in the same word==> /p/ is pronounced AS TRUE /P/ but do not add extra sound between as you mentioned
Play
Place
Improve
Priority
If linking words
Stay up late ==> /p/ pronounced as unreleased /p/ though it is said very fast
3rd case /pj/ ==> /p/ is pronounced AS TRUE /P/
Computer
Popular
Thanks a lot
question is that an app… it would be easier to practice and btw great job
Hey! Please help me… I thought we had to pronounce the "p" at the end of the words..? Because I saw some videos that taught me to puff the air "p". Thank you!
Hi there, I hope you're doing well. Could you help me with "spoon"? I can't help myself to call this word is /sbun/. By the way, I am Vietnamese. Thank you so so much
Hi!I wanna ask that in the words (enter,center)do we have aspirated t sound or not?
I have heard that when t comes at the end of word,its not aspirated but in the words like(center,enter)its between n and e.
So whats the rule for this t.
un saludo a uis
3:56 In the pronounciation of "paw" I hear /pɑː/ but it's represented by /pɔ/ like Brithish acent, why? I'm confused
thanks a lot