English: How to Pronounce NG [ŋ] Consonant: American Accent

ESL: How to pronounce the NG [ŋ] consonant sound in American English. Pronunciation and Accent lessons and exercises on the website to help you improve your spoken English.


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...with Rachel's English!

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[rachelsenglish]

Yes -- I would say the difference is more than slight. I've just made a video comparing those two sounds.

[LorraineNass]

I'm taking a Phonetics course in college and the most important note about the [n] and the [ŋ] is that they are not pronounce the same. There is a slight difference between the pronunciation of the two sounds. The [n] sound is pronounce with the back of the tongue down, while the [ŋ] sound is pronounced with the back of the tongue stretches and touching the soft palate and touching.

[danielo]

Good that I found this video, now things will be eaisier!

[ramzy-]

you have great videos for [ŋ] Consonant.

[rachelsenglish]

Right. Any "nk" will have the N pronounced [ŋ].

[rachelsenglish]

But N is made with the front of the tongue, and NG with the back. Check out my video that compares these two sounds!

[bobskie]

I'm from the Philippines. I noticed that when an English speaker try to learn our native language as an adult, they have trouble pronouncing the NG sound if it starts at the beginning like: ngano, ngipon, ngitngit, etc. but the NG sound of our native language sounds identical from English words like: singing, ringing, thing, fang, etc. And if they can pronounce ringing perfectly, why they can't with ours. Their small children can pronounce all our words perfectly without accent though.

[NattSza]

Rachel, could you make a video on the linking of /ŋ/ to vowels? for example, 'doing it'. I know that in informal speech many americans say that /'duː.ɪnɪt/, replacing the /ŋ/ by /n/. but when that doesn't happen, is there any tip to link the /ŋ/ to the following vowel? thanks a lot!

HAHA Yeah, Giovanni, don't you worry: you're not the only one. When I feel comfortable enough with English, I want to study Italian. If I were an Italian native speaker, I'd never shout my mouth - what a BEAUTIFUL language you guys have. Again, greetings from Brazil, which has much of the Italian culture present and added to our culture.

[GiovanniNicotera]

If you need any help when you're going to study the italian language you can count on me! It's a very beautiful language indeed, rich of shades :) Thank you for appraciating my language!

That also happens to me. Still have difficult when it comes to this sound. It's one of the hardest ever. In the sentence you mentioned, I'd probably produce a clear G sound. I tend to pronounce NG sounds by producing an N sound. Pretty much easier. In words like "song", I guess I can make this NG sound, but when it comes to linking to a vowel, it makes me either make a G sound or make a gap between the words. LOL Greetings from Brazil.

[GiovanniNicotera]

Well, now I feel comforted, I'm not the only one in this world xD Thank you for sharing this! Greetings from Italy!

[abdelhalimmohamed]

Great, but could you teach me how to pronounce an ng sound followed by another ng sound in words like: singing, swinging, and longing?
Please help me.

[rachelsenglish]

Even though it's the same sound, we don't have any words that start with that sound. That's giving the English speakers difficulty.

[realcadet]

It is not difficult for me because my native language has both initial NG, middle NG, and ending NG. My difficulties are ending S vs  unvoiced TH and Z vd voiced TH difference.

[HadelRachid]

"ng" looks like a nasal vowel in Portuguese (ão): pão (bread), mãe (mother), pulmão (lung) ...

[joevincent]

For surnames it’s \'eng (IPA: ˈɛŋ)

[Prof.NewtonSilva]

Very good! Its difficult! its like you dont pronounce the "g" at all, it's like you are pronounce plain "n". Give me an extra on this please!
thanks!

[GiovanniNicotera]

How could I link this sound to a word that begins with a vowel? For example like the sentence you put in the video "Studying English", I've got some difficulties because when I try to link this sound with a word that begins with a vowel a dark G sound comes out! Help!!

[Prof.NewtonSilva]

Very good! Its difficult! its like you dont pronounce the "g" at all, it's like you are pronouncing plain "n". Give me an extra on this please!
thanks!