How to Pronounce “sutra”

American (US)

/ˈsuːtɹə/

British (UK)

/ˈsuːtɹə/

noun — A rule or thesis in Sanskrit grammar or Hindu law or philosophy.

Where the stress falls. “sutra” has 2 syllables, and the transcription /ˈsuːtɹə/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the first one — so the first syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.

An unstressed vowel reduces to schwa. /ˈsuːtɹə/ 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 "sutra" mean?

sutra (noun): A rule or thesis in Sanskrit grammar or Hindu law or philosophy.

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

Both accents use the same sequence of phonemes for "sutra", /ˈsuːtɹə/, 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 "sutra"?

/ˈsuːtɹə/ in American English, /ˈsuːtɹə/ in British English.

Which syllable is stressed in "sutra"?

“sutra” has 2 syllables, and the transcription /ˈsuːtɹə/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the first one — so the first syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.