How to Pronounce “assistant”

American (US)

/əˈsɪstənt/

British (UK)

/əˈsɪstənt/

adjective — Having a subordinate or auxiliary position.

Example: an assistant surgeon.

Where the stress falls. “assistant” has 3 syllables, and the transcription /əˈsɪstənt/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the second one — so the second syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.

An unstressed vowel reduces to schwa. /əˈsɪstənt/ contains a schwa /ə/ — the short, neutral “uh” that English unstressed syllables collapse into. Saying /ə/ there, instead of the vowel the spelling suggests, is most of what makes the word sound native.

What does "assistant" mean?

assistant (adjective): Having a subordinate or auxiliary position. For example — an assistant surgeon.

How do you pronounce "assistant" in American vs British English?

Both accents use the same sequence of phonemes for "assistant", /əˈsɪstənt/, so the difference you hear is in how the vowels are coloured rather than in which sounds are used. Play both on this page to compare.

What is the IPA transcription of "assistant"?

/əˈsɪstənt/ in American English, /əˈsɪstənt/ in British English.

Which syllable is stressed in "assistant"?

“assistant” has 3 syllables, and the transcription /əˈsɪstənt/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the second one — so the second syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.