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Why "hour" sounds different in British English
The traditional RP form is /aʊə/, a glide from "ow" to a schwa, with no R. American English is /aʊər/, ending in an R. In both accents the H is silent, so it is "an hour", and "hour" sounds like "our".
In everyday RP, this triphthong is often smoothed: the middle /ʊ/ drops out, leaving /aə/ or even a long /ɑː/, so "hour" can sound like "are". Both forms are normal. If you are learning, "OW-uh" is clearer and never wrong. Before a vowel the R links: "an hour ago" sounds like "uh-NOW-uh-ruh-GOH".
How to say "hour" like a Brit, step by step
- Start with an open a, H silent.
- Glide briefly towards oo with a slight rounding of the lips.
- Relax into a short uh and stop. No R: OW-uh.
- In relaxed speech you can merge it into one long ah, but keep it unhurried either way.
Practise "hour" in a sentence
- The train takes about an hour.
- I'll be with you in half an hour.
- Rush hour starts at about five.
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 hour in a British accent?
In Received Pronunciation, hour is pronounced /aʊə/ or /ɑː/, roughly "OW-uh or AH". The H is silent and there is no final R: OW-uh, often smoothed to a long "ah".
Is the American pronunciation of hour wrong?
No. /aʊər/ is standard in American English. Both are correct, they simply belong to different accents. If you are learning a British accent, aim for /aʊə/ or /ɑː/.
Do hour, our and are sound the same in British English?
Hour and our are usually identical. In modern RP many speakers smooth both to a long ah, which makes them sound like are, especially in fast speech. Careful speakers keep the OW-uh glide.