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The word to is used extensively in English as a preposition and a verb marker for the infinitive. In American English, it also has several possible pronunciations depending on the words around it and whether it’s emphasized or unstressed. Below, we see how the initial t- varies in pronunciation according to the sounds that precede it, and how the vowel varies according to the sounds that follow it.
The word to is used extensively in English as a preposition and a verb marker for the infinitive. In American English, it also has several possible pronunciations depending on the words around it and whether it’s emphasized or unstressed. Below, we see how the initial t- varies in pronunciation according to the sounds that precede it, and how the vowel varies according to the sounds that follow it.
Although most dictionaries give the pronunciation of to as [tʰu], its most common pronunciation is actually [tʰǝ] or [tʰʊ] since in both its grammatical roles as a preposition and infinitive marker, it’s usually unstressed. The only time we pronounced it [tʰu] is in very careful speech, when it's stressed, or when it's followed by a word beginning with a vowel.
Although most dictionaries give the pronunciation of to as [tʰu], its most common pronunciation is actually [tʰǝ] or [tʰʊ] since in both its grammatical roles as a preposition and infinitive marker, it’s usually unstressed. The only time we pronounced it [tʰu] is in very careful speech, when it's stressed, or when it's followed by a word beginning with a vowel.
1 First let's look at all the ways the initial t is pronounced.
1 First let's look at all the ways the initial t is pronounced.
[tʰ-]
After any consonant, the initial t- can always be pronounced [tʰ] — especially in slower, more careful speech.
After any consonant, the initial t- can always be pronounced [tʰ] — especially in slower, more careful speech.
Nice to see you.
[nài̯s tʰǝ.síːyu]Run to mommy.
[rʌ̀n tʰǝ.mɑ́ːmi]Drive to Moscow.
[drài̯v tʰǝ.mɑ́ːskæ̀u̯]We have a job to do.
[wihɛvǝjɑ́ːb tʰǝ.dùː]
[d-]
However, if the previous word ends in one of the nasals [n* m ŋ ɴ] or the voiced stops [b d g], most speakers use an initial [d]. Both variants sound equally natural — especially in faster speech.
However, if the previous word ends in one of the nasals [n* m ŋ ɴ] or the voiced stops [b d g], most speakers use an initial [d]. Both variants sound equally natural — especially in faster speech.
Incidentally, the only other place we also hear -nt- pronounced as [nd] is in the numbers ninety [nái̯ndi] and seventy [sɛ́vɛndi], and, to a lesser extent, when we use a weak [d] to bring out the [t] of the negative ending -n't before a word that starts with a vowel: can't understand [kʰæ̀ndǝndʀstǽːnd].
Incidentally, the only other place we also hear -nt- pronounced as [nd] is in the numbers ninety [nái̯ndi] and seventy [sɛ́vɛndi], and, to a lesser extent, when we use a weak [d] to bring out the [t] of the negative ending -n't before a word that starts with a vowel: can't understand [kʰæ̀ndǝndʀstǽːnd].
__________
*Although In Am. English, the combination -nt- is most often reduced to just [n], this is rarely the case with to after a word that ends in -n; after [n] it's pronounced either [tʰ] or [d]: goin' to work [gowɪntʰǝwʀk] or [gowɪndǝwʀk] (although I have heard people say [gòwɪnǝwʀ́k], which I don't recommend). The same applies to the preposition into, which is either [ɪntʰu] or [ɪndǝ], but never [ɪnǝ] or [ɪnu].I came to see you.
[ai̯kʰei̯m.dǝ síːyu]Run to mommy.
[rʌ̀n.dǝ mɑ́ːmi]I’m driving to Moscow.
[ɑm.drài̯viŋ.dǝ mɑ́ːskæ̀u̯]
Why haven’t you written to me?
[wai̯hæ̀vɛnt̚t̡yu rɪ́tɴ.dǝmìː]We have a job to do.
[wịhɛ̣vǝ̣jɑ́ːb dǝ.dùː]I’m sad to see you go.
[ɑm.sæ̀ːd.dǝ sì:yugóu̯][ɖ-]
If the word in front of to ends in a vowel sound or [r], the initial t is pronounced as a flap [ɖ].
If the word in front of to ends in a vowel sound or [r], the initial t is pronounced as a flap [ɖ].
Go to your room.
[gòu̯ɖǝ yʀ.rúːm]Say hi to your mom for me.
[seɪ̯hài̯ɖǝ yʀ.mɑ́ːm fòr.mi]Do you know how to swim?
[dʊyunòu̯ hæu̯ɖǝswɪ́m]What’d you do to her?
[wʌ̀d̚d̡yʊ dúɖǝhʀ]________
Note that go to her, go to him, go to them can also be pronounced as [góʊ̯ɖǝhʀ] [góʊ̯ɖǝhɪm] [góʊ̯ɖǝðɛm]. For more on this, see (2) below.
2 In (1), we saw how the first letter of the particle to can change according to the sounds in front of it; here we'll see how the vowel can change according to the sounds that follow it.
2 In (1), we saw how the first letter of the particle to can change according to the sounds in front of it; here we'll see how the vowel can change according to the sounds that follow it.
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