Sound Gym
curry · carry
Same consonants, one vowel apart — /ʌ/ vs /æ/
curry and carry share the same consonants — /k/ · /r/ · /i/. The stressed vowel is the only difference: /ʌ/ in curry (neutral, central “uh”) vs /æ/ in carry(bright, open “aa”). Spanish speakers often merge both toward a central “ah” — listen carefully to the jaw height difference.
noun — a spiced dish originating from South Asian cuisine — 'chicken curry' · 'curry powder' · 'curry favour' (idiom: to seek approval through flattery)
mouth shape
short /ʌ/ — CUH-ree — mouth half-open, tongue central and low, lips neutral — the 'uh' sound — like 'cut', 'but', 'hurry' — do not open your jaw wide
curry
/ˈkʌri/
vowel length
verb — to hold and transport something — 'carry a bag' · 'carry on' · 'carry out' · 'carry the weight' · 'carry a tune' — also: to stock a product — 'does the shop carry this brand?'
mouth shape
short /æ/ — KAA-ree — jaw drops lower than /ʌ/, lips spread slightly — like 'cat', 'hat', 'marry' — a brighter, more open sound than the neutral /ʌ/ in curry
carry
/ˈkæri/
vowel length
/ʌ/ vs /æ/ — jaw height is the key
curry
/ˈkʌri/
neutral /ʌ/ — half-open jaw
cut · but · hurry · worry
carry
/ˈkæri/
bright /æ/ — jaw drops lower
cat · hat · marry · Barry
Key difference
Place your fingers on your jaw and say both words. For carry /æ/your jaw drops noticeably lower and your lips spread wider than for curry /ʌ/, which stays relaxed and central. The /æ/ in carry is bright and forward; the /ʌ/ in curry is dull and neutral.
Hear it in a sentence
“She ordered a mild chicken curry with rice and naan bread.”
“Can you carry these bags to the car while I lock up?”
Hear it in the wild
Real speech from native speakers — the most reliable way to check a pronunciation, since automated audio can vary by device and browser.
curry
Hear native speakers say “curry” in real sentences — news, lectures, and podcasts.
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carry
Hear native speakers say “carry” in real sentences — news, lectures, and podcasts.
Opens YouTube-sourced clips in a new tab.
How teachers explain this
Approved tips from the community, sorted by helpfulness
Word families
curry family ▸
carry family ▸
Related pairs
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