The HAIR R-Vowel /ɛr/

One of the most common r-vowels in American English. Hear it in hair, care, pair, air.

IPA /ɛr/ Respell air Category R-vowel
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The /ɛr/ R-vowel, the sound in hair, care, bear, and where, is a smooth blend of the relaxed EH vowel and a strong American R. You start with your jaw dropped moderately and your tongue slightly forward, then pull the tongue back and up while flaring your lips for the R. Don't let it break into two separate sounds. In casual American speech the vowel slides straight into the R without a pause.

How to make it

Three small adjustments.

Get them right and the sound takes care of itself.

Start with the 'eh' vowel mouth position. Pull the tongue back and up while flaring the lips for the 'r'.

Jaw

Drops moderately for the vowel portion, then reduces as the R begins.

Tongue

Starts in the EH (/ɛ/) position: mid-front lifts slightly toward the roof of the mouth. Then transitions to the R position: the middle part lifts toward the roof, the front pulls back, and the tip either curls back or points down behind the bottom front teeth.

Lips

Start relaxed for the EH vowel, then flare slightly for the R.

Quick tips

A few things to remember.

This is a blend of the EH (/ɛ/) vowel and the R consonant. Focus on transitioning smoothly from the open vowel into the R lip flare.

Keep your tongue tip forward at the beginning to avoid the 'er' sound.

Don't tense the opening sound into an AY (/eɪ/). Keep the vowel relaxed, like in bed.

Hear it in words

16 everyday words.

Tap any word for its full breakdown — every reduction, every flap-T.

hair
HAIR
care
KAIR
pair
PAIR
share
SHAIR
fair
FAIR
wear
WAIR
chair
CHAIR
stairs
STAIRZ
bear
BAIR
scared
SKAIRD
rare
RAIR
stare
STAIR
shared
SHAIRD
prepare
pruh·PAIR
married
MAIR·eed
airport
AIR·port
Hear it in sentences

In real conversation.

5 short sentences where this sound shows up. Tap to play; click the title for the full breakdown.

Take care to share the spare chair.

TAYK KAIR tuh SHAIR dhuh SPAIR CHAIR.

Where is the bear that scared the mare?

wair ihz dhuh BAIR dhuht SKAIRD dhuh MAIR?

The air is fresh there.

dhee AIR ihz FREHSH DHAIR.

I dare you to share.

ahy DAIR yoo tuh SHAIR.

Where is the pair of shoes?

wair ihz dhuh PAIR uhv SHOOZ?
FAQ

Common questions about /ɛr/.

What's the easiest way to pronounce the /ɛr/ vowel in American English?
Start by making the relaxed EH sound, like in bed or head, with your jaw dropped moderately and your tongue forward. From there, smoothly pull the body of your tongue back and up toward the roof of your mouth while flaring your lips. The trick is to merge them: don't say EH, stop, and then say R. Let the vowel glide directly into the R shape without a break.
How is the American /ɛr/ different from how British speakers say "hair"?
British speakers drop the R completely, ending hair and care on a soft, relaxed vowel that sounds like EH-uh. Americans keep the R strong and let it color the back half of the syllable. Instead of letting the tongue relax at the end, an American speaker actively pulls the tongue back and up, flaring the lips into that tight R-coloring you can hear from across the room.
Why does my /ɛr/ sound too much like the ER in "her"?
You're likely skipping the opening vowel and jumping straight to the R. Curl the tongue back too early and hair turns into her, fair into fur. The fix: establish the EH vowel first. Keep the tongue tip behind the bottom front teeth for a split second at the start of the word, letting the vowel ring out before pulling the tongue back for the R.

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