How to pronounce their in American English

IPA /ðɛr/ Syllables 1 · dhair

dhair

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Americans pronounce their as dhair (/ðɛr/). The R is one continuous sound with the vowel — the tongue curls back rather than rolling.

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Sounds

75%

Clarity

68%

Stress

78%

Intonation

65%

Fluency

62%

Overall assessment

Our AI coach listens to your recording and grades 5 dimensions of pronunciation — then tells you exactly what to fix next.

72% Noticeable accent

Common mistakes

Pronouncing the "R" too clearly.

Americans use a relaxed retroflex R — the tongue curls back rather than rolling. The R is one continuous sound with the vowel before it, not two separate sounds.

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Why it sounds different

Why "their" sounds like dhair.

The "" at the end of "" flows directly into the vowel starting "" — the consonant migrates to the next word with no pause between. This is called the Consonant-to-Vowel Linking, how Americans glue words together so they sound like one phrase. It comes out as dhair.

In real conversation

Hear "their" in the wild.

Click any sentence to see the full breakdown — every link, every reduction, every flap-T.

"Commencement is a proud moment for graduates and their families."

kuh·MEHN·smuhnt ihz uh PROWD MOH·muhnt fer GRA·joo·uhts and dhair FA·muh·leez

"Dolphins are known for their intelligence and playfulness."

DAHL·fuhnz er NOHN fer dhair ihn·TEH·luh·juhns and PLAY·fuhl·nuhs

"He is studying the etymology of words to better understand their meaning."

hee ihz STUH·dee·uhng dhee eh·duh·MAH·luh·jee uhv WURDZ tuh BEH·der uhn·der·STAND dhair MEE·nuhng

"He studies the behavior of animals in their natural habitats."

hee STUH·deez dhuh buh·HAY·vyer uhv A·nuh·muhlz ihn dhair NA·cher·uhl HA·buh·tats

"Let's create a shared document where everyone can contribute their ideas."

LEHTS kree·AYT uh SHAIRD DAH·kyuh·muhnt wair EHV·ree·wuhn kuhn kuhn·TRIH·byoot dhair ahy·DEE·uhz

"May I offer my congratulations to the happy couple on their engagement?"

MAY ahy AH·fer mahy kuhn·gra·chuh·LAY·shuhnz tuh dhuh HA·pee KUH·puhl ahn dhair uhn·GAYJ·muhnt

Watch out

Common pronunciation mistakes in American English.

The textbook way isn't wrong — it's just not how anyone actually says it.

Pronouncing the "R" too clearly.

Americans use a relaxed retroflex R — the tongue curls back rather than rolling. The R is one continuous sound with the vowel before it, not two separate sounds.

… (no R)→… r (curl the tongue)

Questions

Questions people ask about this.

How do I pronounce the R in "their"?

Americans use a relaxed retroflex R: the tongue curls back rather than rolling, and the R is one continuous sound with the vowel before it — not two separate sounds. Don't try to pronounce a separate vowel followed by a separate R. Treat them as a single shape.

Is the American pronunciation of "their" different from British English?

American English uses different vowel shapes, a relaxed retroflex R, and connected-speech tricks like flap-T and glottal-stop T that British Received Pronunciation generally avoids. The respell "dhair" reflects the casual American form; British dictionaries typically print a citation form with crisper consonants and different vowel choices.

Now you try.

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Overall assessment

Common mistakes

Pronouncing the "R" too clearly.

Why "their" sounds like dhair.

Hear "their" in the wild.

Words that work the same way.

Common pronunciation mistakes in American English.

Pronouncing the "R" too clearly.

Questions people ask about this.

Stop reading about "their". Start saying it.