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Why "clothes" sounds different in British English
The full form is /kləʊðz/, with a voiced /ð/ (the TH in "these") before the Z. In natural speech many British speakers drop the TH entirely, saying /kləʊz/, exactly like the verb "close". Dictionaries list both. The TH-less version is common and not careless, and it's often easier for learners.
The more audibly British part is the vowel. RP /əʊ/ starts in the centre of the mouth, from a schwa, then glides towards "oo". American /oʊ/ starts further back with rounder lips. Never add an extra syllable: it's not "clo-thes". "Cloth" is a separate word with the short O of "hot": KLOTH.
How to say "clothes" like a Brit, step by step
- Start with kl.
- Say the British oh: begin with a relaxed "uh" and glide to "oo", lips only lightly rounded.
- Either touch your tongue to your teeth for a quick th, or skip it.
- End on a buzzing z: KLOHZ. One syllable.
Practise "clothes" in a sentence
- I need to put my clothes in the wash.
- We gave a bag of old clothes to the charity shop.
- Pack some warm clothes, it'll be chilly in the Lakes.
Saying it once correctly is easy. Saying it right in the middle of a fast sentence is the hard part, which is why the sentences above matter more than the single word.
Frequently asked questions
How do you pronounce clothes in a British accent?
In Received Pronunciation, clothes is pronounced /kləʊðz/ or /kləʊz/, roughly "KLOHZ". Say KLOHZ, with or without the TH, using the British "oh" that starts from "uh".
Is the American pronunciation of clothes wrong?
No. /kloʊðz/ or /kloʊz/ is standard in American English. Both are correct, they simply belong to different accents. If you are learning a British accent, aim for /kləʊðz/ or /kləʊz/.
Is clothes pronounced the same as close?
Very often, yes. Many British speakers drop the TH and say clothes exactly like the verb close. The full form with a TH is also correct. Both are listed in British dictionaries.