play image1815466723
Usage Notes

How Do You Pronounce 'Vase'?

And is one more correct than the others?


Depending on where you're from, you might pronounce 'vase' in one of three main ways. Is one of them considered "standard"? Peter Sokolowski explains.


TRANSCRIPT


When someone brings you flowers and asks if you have anything to put them in, you might say "Yes, there's a vās in the cabinet."
 
That's how you'll say it if you're like most Americans, anyway. If you're like most Canadians or some Americans, you'll say vāz. But if you're British or like some Canadians or even a few Americans, you'll say väz.
 
Vās, vāz, väz.
 
They're actually all fine, no matter where you come from. However you say it, the important thing is this: when someone brings you flowers, be gracious and put them in water.

Up next

play image1815466723
How Do You Pronounce 'Vase'?

 

And is one way more correct than the others?

play there theyre their video
There, They're, Their

 

There, there. We'll sort it out.

play ismo merriam webster one
Some Odd Words with ISMO: "The One-derful Won"

 

Comedian ISMO tries to figure out 'one' and 'two'

play ismo merriam webster trunk boot
Some Odd Words with ISMO: "Junk in the Trunk"

 

Comedian ISMO on what separates a boot from a trunk

play sneaked vs snuck video
Sneaked vs. Snuck

 

How the irregular 'snuck' sneaked into the dictionary

play video ending a sentence with a preposition
Ending a Sentence with a Preposition

 

An old-fashioned rule we can no longer put up with.

play ismo merriam webster tip
Some Odd Words with ISMO: "People Tipping"

 

Comedian ISMO on the complexities of the word 'tip'