How to pronounce /ɜːɹ/ in English

The /ɜːɹ/ sound is a mid, tense, central R-Colored vowel.

R-colored
Stressed
Central

Jaw
Open your mouth slightly.
Tongue
Tense your tongue and raise the tip towards the ridge behind your upper front teeth, but don't touch it. Curl the tip back, and slightly lower the middle of your tongue.
Lips
Round your lips slightly and make them tense.

Note: This sound is also written /ɝ/. It can also be pronounced with the tip of your tongue lowered and the body of your tongue raised towards the roof of your mouth, all while the sides of your tongue press against your upper back teeth. It only occurs in stressed syllables.

Example words

bird
her
learn
work
first
girl

Common mistakes

R-colored vowels

The vowel lost its R: "bird" sounded like "bud". Curl or bunch your tongue through the vowel.
The vowel was too open. Keep your jaw half closed and your tongue in the /r/ shape.

How to practise

Hold the /r/ tongue shape for the whole vowel, lips slightly rounded.
It is not "uh" and then "r": the vowel is r-coloured from start to end.

Easily confused words

bird · bud
hurt · hut
turn · ton
shirt · shut

Practise /ɜːɹ/ with Letty

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