How to Pronounce "tour"
The correct pronunciation of "tour" is TOOR /tʊə/. Tap play to hear it, say it into your mic for a free clarity check, and fix the "TOW-er" habit for good.
tour
/tʊə/A journey to visit several places, often for pleasure or study.
Practice more words like this in the Pronunciation Challenge — a free mic test, no login.
Tap play to hear “tour”, then say it aloud and get a free instant clarity check with your microphone.Get your real pronunciation score
Record yourself saying “tour” and get a real, AI-graded score with word-by-word feedback — no account needed.
Record yourself saying “tour” and get a real, AI-graded pronunciation score with word-by-word feedback — free, no account needed.The Indian-English Mistake: "TOW-er" — and the Fix
| Aspect | Common in India (incorrect) | Correct |
|---|---|---|
| Sounds like | Saying 'TOW-er' or 'TAWR', reading 'our' as the 'ow' sound of 'sour' and 'hour'. | TOOR /tʊə/ |
| Stress | Often on the wrong syllable | One syllable (TOOR). |
How Do You Pronounce "tour"?
"tour" is pronounced TOOR /tʊə/. The stress is on the one syllable (TOOR). As a noun, it means a journey to visit several places, often for pleasure or study.
The 'ou' is a long 'oo' (as in 'moor') — TOOR, not 'TOW-er' or 'TAWR' with the vowel of 'our'.
Note: US /tʊr/ ('TOOR'). Either way the 'ou' is a long 'oo', not the 'ow' of 'our' or 'sour'.
Say "tour" Step by Step
Break the word down, get the stress right, then blend it back together at normal speed. Repeat each step out loud three times.
Break it into syllables
TOOR — say each part slowly and separately first.
Stress the right part
One syllable (TOOR). Make the stressed syllable a little louder and longer.
Nail the key sound
The 'ou' is a long 'oo' (as in 'moor') — TOOR, not 'TOW-er' or 'TAWR' with the vowel of 'our'.
Blend and repeat
Now say "tour" at normal speed: TOOR. Record yourself and compare.
Minimal-Pair Drills for "tour" (2 Minutes, Out Loud)
Say each drill line aloud, slowly first, then at normal speed. On the last drill, use the mic check at the top of this page to test yourself.
moor → toor → TOOR
The vowel is the long 'oo' of 'moor'.
NOT TOW-er — TOOR
Not the 'ow' of 'hour'; use a long 'oo'.
Say at speed: "We went on a tour."
One syllable, rhymes with 'poor'.
Why "tour" Is Tricky — and How to Fix It
Why this happens
Indian speakers read 'our' as 'ow-er' (as in 'hour'), but in 'tour' the 'ou' is a long 'oo'.
Tip: Rhyme it with 'moor' and 'poor': TOOR, one syllable with a long 'oo'.
Hear “tour” in a Sentence
Read each line aloud with the same rhythm. The word to listen for is in bold.
We went on a city tour.
The band starts its tour next week.
Book a guided tour of the palace.
Words Related to "tour"
Related: poor
Same 'oor' → long 'oo' (UK): POOR.
Now say it inside a sentence
Getting "tour" right on its own is the easy part. Pronunciation only sticks in connected speech. Read a passage aloud and get scored on accuracy and pace, word by word — free, no login.
Practice "tour" — and every other word — anywhere on the web
Highlight any sentence on any website or YouTube video, read it aloud, and get an instant clarity score with word-by-word feedback — the same check you just tried above, everywhere you read.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you pronounce "tour" in Indian English?
What is the most common mistake when saying "tour"?
Why do Indian English speakers find "tour" hard to pronounce?
Is there a US and UK difference in pronouncing "tour"?
Hear How Your English Really Sounds
Read a passage aloud and get scored word by word, with misread words highlighted and the sounds behind them a tap away. Used by 30,000+ learners.
Read Aloud, scored per word
Misread words highlighted
AI tutor voice calls