Learn How to Pronounce unhappy
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How to pronounce:
unhappy
Phonetic Transcription:
ʌnˈhæpi
Examples:
At home, Catherine is listless and unhappy.
But that was not the last of the sufferings of the unhappy monarch.
But the people remained unhappy with the government.
Learn more about:unhappy
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How to perfect your pronunciation of: unhappy
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Common mistakes of unhappy pronunciation
- Stress placement: Many learners incorrectly stress the second syllable, saying "un-ˈhappy". The correct stress is on the second syllable, "un-ˈhappy" (US) and "ʌn-ˈhæpi" (UK). Tip: Emphasize the "hap" part when saying "unhappy".
- Vowel sound confusion: Some people mispronounce "unhappy" by using a short "a" sound, saying "un-hap-ee". The correct pronunciation has a short "a" as in "cat" (ˈhæ). Tip: Practice saying "happy" first to get the vowel sound right.
- Overemphasizing the "u": A common mistake is to overly stress the "u" in "unhappy", making it sound like "ʌn-happy". The "u" should be a quick, light sound. Tip: Keep the "u" short and smooth to blend into "happy".
- Missing the "n" sound: Some learners drop the "n" sound, saying "uh-happy". This alters the meaning completely. The "n" is essential, as in "ʌn-ˈhæpi". Tip: Focus on clearly pronouncing the "n" to maintain the word's integrity.
- Incorrect vowel length: A mistake is to pronounce the "a" in "unhappy" as a long vowel, like "a" in "cake". The correct pronunciation has a short vowel sound (ˈhæ). Tip: Practice saying "hat" to get the short "a" sound right.