The pronunciation of
the letter E in English

How do you pronounce the letter E in English?

The letter E has two main pronunciations in English: a short pronunciation and a long pronunciation. When a vowel has a "long" sound, it is pronounced like the letter's name. Listen to the difference between the short and long sounds of the letter E with the words in the table below. Click on the link to hear the pronunciation.

Note: I am from the United States and my pronunciation is North American.

The pronunciation of the letter E in English
Long E sound	Short E sound
► /i:/	► /e/
► bead	► bed
► wheel	► well
► teen	► ten
► seat	► set
► seal	► sell
► cheek	► check
► feel	► fell
► beet	► bet
► meat	► met
► reed	► red
► seed	► said
► lead	► led

In the column of long-sounding words, all end with a silent E or have a vowel combination. When a word ends with a silent E, it causes the preceding vowel to be pronounced as the letter's name. Similarly, if a word contains a vowel combination, the first vowel "says its name." These pronunciation rules are explained in more detail on the Pronunciation Rules page.