How to Do a Convincing British Accent

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Talk with a British accent in no time with these expert-backed tips!
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Whether you’re trying to impress your friends or dive into a character, learning a British accent can be a fun way to do so! But where do you start? What should you know? We spoke with British Accent Coach Luke Nicholson to talk you through the basics of a British accent, specifically the Received Pronunciation (RP) accent, which is the base of most British dialects. So, keep reading for a pronunciation guide to learn how to talk with a British accent fast.

How to Talk in a British Accent

British accent coach Luke Nicholson says to drop the “r” in British English except before vowels. For instance, don’t say the “r” at the end of “water” unless it’s followed by a word like “in.” Enunciate “t” clearly rather than making a “d” sound and master special vowels, like the “OR” in “north.”

Section 1 of 2:

Pronunciation Guide

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  1. After a vowel, don’t pronounce the R . Instead, draw out the vowel and add an uh sound. For example, “here” would be pronounced as “heeuh.” As another example, “hurry” would be “huh-ree.” [1]
    • In American English, words ending with "-rl" or "-rel" can be pronounced using either one or two syllables. This is not the case in British English. "-rl" words like "girl and "hurl" are pronounced as one syllable with a silent R , while "squirrel" is "squih-rul", and "referral" is "re-fer-rul".
    • Some words are easier to say in a British accent. For example, “mirror” sounds like “mih-ra.”
    • Some awkward pauses in sentences are also removed by the addition of R before a vowel. For example, "I saw it" becomes "I saw-rit."
    • Nicholson explains that the R sound is only pronounced “if there’s a vowel sound after it.” [2]
    • Keep in mind that every British accent is different. For example, a Scottish accent varies greatly from an English accent.
  2. Avoid pronouncing U as oo. For example, “stupid” becomes “stewpid” and “duty” becomes “dewty.” [3]
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  3. In the standard English accent, the A (for example, in “father”) is pronounced at the back of the mouth with an open throat and sounds like “arh.” This is the case in pretty much all British accents, but it's exaggerated. Words such as “bath,” “path,” and “glass” become “barth,” “parth,” and “glarss.” [4]
  4. Consonants are speech sounds that are not vowels. When doing a British accent, pronounce consonants with a heavy or hard edge. For example, the T in “duty” is pronounced as “dewty.” [5]
    • As another example, “human being” is pronounced as “hewman being” or “yooman been” with a strong emphasis on consonant sounds.
  5. With some British accents, T s are not typically pronounced. Instead, a “hiccup” or slight pause replaces the sound. For example, the word “battle” is pronounced as “ba-ill.” The air catches at the back of the tongue between the first and second syllables. [6]
    • People with Estuary English, Received Pronunciation (RP), Scottish, Irish , and Welsh accents may consider it lazy and rude to drop T s. But in almost all accents, it's acceptable to do so in the middle of words in casual contexts.
  6. Sometimes, extra syllables are added to words with one or two syllables. For example, the word “road” is often pronounced as “rohd,” “ro-ord,” or “reh-uud.” This puts emphasis on the end of the word. [7]
  7. With a British accent, words are often pronounced differently from how they’re spelled. There’s often a stress on consonants in British pronunciation, so words are often stressed differently than when they’re spoken in an American accent. For example: [9]
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      • British: /uhd-VURT-tiz-muhnt/
      • American: /ad-vuhr-TYZ-muhnt/
    • Schedule
      • British: /SHED-jool/
      • American: /sked-jool/
    • Mobile
      • British: /MOH-bile/
      • American: /MOH-buhl/
    • Adult
      • British: /AD-uhlt/
      • American: /uh-DULT/
    • Yoghurt
      • British: /YOG-urt/ or /YOH-gurt/
      • American: /YOH-guhrt/ or /YOH-hurt/
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Section 2 of 2:

Listening & Copying to Learn a British Accent

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  1. All accents and dialects have their own musicality. Pay attention to the tones and emphasis of British speakers. Notice when the voice pitches up and when there’s a rhythm to syllables. Listening intently to a native speaker can help you make your accent more authentic and realistic. [10]
    • For instance, you may observe that there’s a tendency to go down slightly towards the end of a phrase with a British accent, but a notable lack of this in a Liverpool-specific accent.
    • The best way to do this is to listen to all things British! Turn on a television show, movie, or interview featuring British people.
  2. Hearing popular phrases or lines can help you mimic an accent more closely. After all, you likely say these phrases yourself in your own accent. Know it’s all about altering your speech slightly to copy the British speaker. [11]
    • Try repeating phrases like “How now brown cow” and “The rain in Spain stays mainly on the plain” to pick up on specific parts of the accent.
    • If you don’t have someone to ask, no worries! Try copying lines from a British television show or movie in the accent they’re spoken in.
  3. One of the best things you can do when learning an accent is to embody the country’s culture. The more British things you take in, the more likely you are to naturally adopt the accent! Watch British television, listen to British radio and podcasts, or even take a trip to the United Kingdom. [12]
    • A formal British accent can be heard on BBC News.
    • For a more casual, laid-back dialect, watch British YouTubers like AmazingPhil, danisnotonfire, Zoella, The Sidemen, and DanTDM.
    • Movies like Harry Potter and TV shows like Sherlock or Downton Abbey can help you pick up different British accents and dialects.
  4. To make your British accent more realistic, use British slang whenever you can. Here are some of the most popular British slang words : [13]
    • “Lads” or “blokes” = Boys or men
    • “Birds” or “lasses” = Girls or women
    • “Loo” = Toilet
    • “Bits ‘n bobs” = Odd selection of things
    • “Cheerio” = Later or see ya
    • “Jiffy” = Quickly
    • “Nosh” = Food
    • “Chips” = French fries
    EXPERT TIP

    Luke Nicholson

    British Accent Coach
    Luke Nicholson is a British accent coach based in London with over a decade of experience helping English learners communicate more clearly. Luke lectures at University College London's Summer Course in English Phonetics and is a member of the International Phonetic Association. In 2012, he founded Improve Your Accent to address the lack of high-quality British English pronunciation materials. He has taught students from 90 countries and has been featured in media such as BBC Radio London, Times Radio, and The Evening Standard. In 2017, Luke was awarded IPSE's UK Freelancer of the Year, and in 2020, he received YouTube's Silver Creator Award. With a strong online presence, Luke has 170K YouTube subscribers and 158K Instagram followers. In 2021, his pronunciation course reached the finals of the British Council ELTons Awards. Luke's paper "Teaching vowels physically" was published as the lead article in an issue of the Voice and Speech Review. He is an enthusiastic language learner and created funetics.com, a site offering phonetics resources for a variety of languages. Luke has a BA in German and Italian Studies from the University of Birmingham and the International Phonetic Association Certificate from the University College London.
    Luke Nicholson
    British Accent Coach

    Check your pronunciation with an International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) dictionary. If you’re learning an accent on your own, practice at home and check your pronunciation using an IPA dictionary. This is an excellent resource that can help you master your accent.

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Join the Discussion...

Tips for practicing a British accent
wikiHow Editorial Team
Here are some easy tips and tricks to speak with a convincing British accent:
  • Don't pronounce "r" if the next syllable in the word is a consonant. For example, instead of "hardly," you'd say "hah-dly."
  • Pronounce "u" as "ew" instead of "oo," like "stew-pid" instead of "stoo-pid."
  • Say "t" clearly, like "dat-ed" instead of "dad-ed" and "pet-al" instead of "ped-al."
  • In general, it's more common to pronounce "a" as "ah," like "pah-th" instead of "path" and "cah-r" instead of "car."
Rita Litton
Acting Coach
If you're doing a British accent, figure out what class you’re trying to mimic, then try to find a recording and listen and try to understand how they're substituting. Learning dialects often starts with speech and voice work where you're learning a phonetic alphabet. It's like if you go to the dictionary and you see the upside-down E, that's an Ah sound. So, very often, if people are trying to learn it by sight and substitution, they can say, “Ah, so I don't say the Ah sound. That sounds more like Eh in this accent.” That can be helpful for people who like to learn it a bit more technically.
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  • Question
    Can you change your voice?
    Patrick Muñoz
    Voice & Speech Coach
    Patrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association.
    Patrick Muñoz
    Voice & Speech Coach
    Expert Answer
    Yes, absolutely. It's not even about changing your voice, it is about growing your voice. So many people speak right from the throat, so their voices aren't really fully embodied. If you start to breathe and do exercises to open up your voice, you'll find out the full range of your voice.
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    How do I learn to talk fast with the British accent?
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    Keep practicing to improve your accent, and try to think in a British accent so it comes more naturally.
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    What would it take for me to master a British accent in 8 months?
    Community Answer
    Watch lots of British entertainment and listen closely. Practice everyday by reading aloud in a British accent. Also, record your voice to see how you're doing. You could easily have the accent down sooner than 8 months.
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      • Nicholson explains that it can take time to learn a new accent, so be patient with yourself. Everyone learns at their own pace.[v163275_b01]. 14 Feb 2025.
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      • Looking for more examples? Check out AccentHelp for Actors, a hub for lessons on every British accent imaginable.
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      • Keep in mind that some people might take offense at you copying an accent. So, always be respectful and kind.
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      Tips from our Readers

      The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
      • One of the best ways to get better at doing a British accent is listening to celebrities who are known for having one, like Joanne Lumley and Dame Judi Dench. Or, watch shows that showcase the British accent, like Downtown Abbey and Upstairs Downstairs.
      • Practice speaking in a British accent whenever you can, whether you're talking to yourself at home or chatting with friends and family.
      • I find that the best way to sound naturally British and nail the accent is to pronounce every letter and speak very clearly.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Received-Pronunciation
      2. ↑ Luke Nicholson. British Accent Coach. Expert Interview
      3. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Received-Pronunciation
      4. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Received-Pronunciation
      5. ↑ https://raleighlittletheatre.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Lion-Witch-Wardrobe-dialect-guide.pdf
      6. ↑ https://research.library.kutztown.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?params=/context/english334/article/1001/&path_info=Received_Pronunciation.pdf
      7. ↑ https://raleighlittletheatre.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Lion-Witch-Wardrobe-dialect-guide.pdf
      8. ↑ Luke Nicholson. British Accent Coach. Expert Interview
      9. ↑ https://www.berlitz.com/blog/british-english-vs-american-english-spelling-pronunciation-words
      1. ↑ https://www.voices.com/blog/how-to-do-accents/
      2. ↑ https://www.thebridge-ttc.org/learning-accents-for-acting/
      3. ↑ https://www.voices.com/blog/how-to-do-accents/
      4. ↑ https://www.oxfordinternationalenglish.com/dictionary-of-british-slang/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To speak in a British accent, try listening to British music and British radio stations to pick up on the way common words are pronounced. You can also watch British news channels, like the BBC, to get an idea of how British people speak. Also, try watching movies with British characters and repeating their lines out loud to practice your accent. If you know someone with a British accent, ask them to say different words out loud so you can learn how to pronounce them. To learn how to pronounce different words and letters using a British accent, read on!

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