The Schwa Vowel Sound

As you know, there are 5 vowel letters: a, e, i, o, u (and sometimes y). But there are many more different vowel sounds, and the most common vowel sound is the sound "uh"—which we call Schwa.

• Schwa is the vowel sound "uh" symbolized by /Ə/
• Schwa is the most common vowel sound in English
• It is a "lazy" sound, like "uh". Listen:

To make the sound of Schwa:

1. open the mouth slightly, with tongue relaxed
2. let out some air

Schwa for Unstressed Vowels

We use Schwa for many unstressed vowels/syllables. The vowels a, e, o, u are often pronounced as Schwa when they are unstressed. In the following examples, the unstressed vowels a, e, o, u all have the same pronunciation — Schwa.

Banana

The above words are all 2-syllable words, each with one weak (unstressed) syllable and one strong (stressed) syllable. Next, let's look at a famous 3-syllable word: banana. The interesting thing about banana is that it has three vowel letters and they are all the same: a. But as always, only one vowel sound is stressed. The other two must be unstressed or "weak". So...

• vowel sound #1 is weak — Schwa vowel sound uh
• vowel sound #2 is strong — long aaa vowel sound /ɑ:/
• vowel sound #3 is weak — Schwa vowel sound uh

Here is how we say banana. Notice the long aaa sound in the middle of banana, and the two weak uh sounds surrounding it:

Schwa rules

• Schwa is weak, NEVER stressed
• Schwa is a vowel, not a consonant
• Schwa is ALWAYS spoken in an unstressed syllable
• Schwa is a vowel sound, not a vowel letter
• If it's stressed, it ain't Schwa!

Why is Schwa so important for speaking and listening?

Because Schwa is the most common sound in English, understanding its concept is essential for speaking and listening—especially at speed. Schwa plays a key role in both word stress and sentence stress—contributing to the natural rhythm and clarity of speech. In sentences, by appearing in unstressed words and syllables, Schwa helps the listener to identify the stressed, more important words that convey the main message.

Schwa word lists

Example 3-syllable Schwa words

• alphabet
• banana
• magazine
• cinema
• internet
• astronaut
• dinosaur
• harmony
• stadium
• volunteer

Example 4-syllable Schwa words

• absolutely
• academic
• America
• apparently
  
• community
• development
• majority
• political
• technology
• transatlantic

Schwa in context with IPA characters

1. /ˈsɪnəmə/ — cinema
2. /kəmˈpjuːtər/ — computer
3. /ˌkriːeɪˈtɪvəti/ — creativity
4. /ˈfæməli/ — family
5. /ˈhæpinəs/ — happiness
6. /ˌɪnfərˈmeɪʃən/ — information
7. /əˈblaɪdʒ/ — oblige
8. /ˌɒpərˈtjuːnəti/ — opportunity
9. /ˈsɪləbəl/ — syllable
10. /vəʊˈkæbjʊləri/ — vocabulary

Related content

• What is a Schwa and How to Teach It
• The Schwa - English in a Minute - YouTube
• The Schwa Sound /ə/ - YouTube
• How to Teach Schwa

Contributor: Josef Essberger, founder of EnglishClub.com. Originally from London, England, Josef is the author of several books for learners of English including English Prepositions List and Learn English in 7.