How to Pronounce RUN OUT: Stress, Linking & Natural Speech

RUN OUT means "to exhaust a supply" or "to have none left" — an essential phrasal verb for everyday situations.

Basic Pronunciation

Stress Pattern

Stress falls on OUT:

• run = less stressed
• OUT = main stress (louder, longer)

Say: "run OUT" not "RUN out"

Connected Speech

The /n/ at the end of "run" links smoothly to the diphthong /aʊ/ in "out":

• Written: run out
• Sounds like: "ru-NOUT" /rʌˈnaʊt/

The /n/ "jumps" to connect with the vowel sound.

With Prepositions

The /ʌ/ Vowel in "Run"

"Run" has the /ʌ/ vowel — a central, unrounded vowel:

How to make /ʌ/:

• Mouth slightly open
• Tongue in the center, relaxed
• Lips NOT rounded
• Similar to "uh" in unstressed syllables

The /aʊ/ Diphthong in "Out"

"Out" contains the diphthong /aʊ/:

• Start with mouth wide open /a/
• Glide to /ʊ/ with rounded lips

Different Uses

1. Exhaust a supply

2. Expire

3. Exit quickly

4. Abandon (run out on)

Inseparable Verb

RUN OUT is inseparable:

• ✅ "We ran out of gas."
• ❌ "We ran gas out of."

The American /r/ Sound

The /r/ in "run" is crucial. Don't roll it like Spanish:

• Curl your tongue tip back
• Don't touch anything
• Lips slightly rounded

Common Mistakes for Spanish Speakers

1. Rolling the /r/

Don't roll the R in "run." Curl your tongue back instead.

2. The /ʌ/ vowel

The vowel in "run" is NOT the Spanish "a" or "o." It's a central, unrounded sound.

3. The /aʊ/ diphthong

Make sure to glide from /a/ to /ʊ/ in "out."

Practice Sentences

1. "We ran OUT of time." → /wi ræn ˈaʊt əv taɪm/
2. "I'm running OUT of patience." → /aɪm ˈrʌnɪŋ ˈaʊt əv ˈpeɪʃəns/
3. "The battery ran OUT." → /ðə ˈbætɚi ræn ˈaʊt/
4. "Don't let it run OUT." → /doʊnt let ɪt rʌn ˈaʊt/

Verb Forms

Common Expressions

Quick Summary

• Stress on OUT: run OUT
• Link /n/ to diphthong: "ru-NOUT" /rʌˈnaʊt/
• American /r/: curl tongue back, don't roll
• Central /ʌ/ vowel in "run"
• Inseparable: "run out of something"

Next: How to pronounce SHOW UP.