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Why "new" sounds different in British English
In British English, /njuː/ has a /j/ glide between the N and the vowel, so "new" sounds like "nyoo" and is an exact rhyme for "few" and "view". Most American speakers say /nuː/, identical to "noo" or the start of "noon".
Unlike Tuesday or duty, there is no "ch" or "j" shortcut here: an N cannot merge with the Y, so British speakers keep "nyoo" quite consistently. The same applies to "knew", "nuclear" and "avenue". Some Southern US speakers keep the glide too, but for most American learners this is a sound to add, not change.
How to say "new" like a Brit, step by step
- Rest your tongue tip behind your top teeth for n.
- As you release it, raise the middle of your tongue for a quick y, as in "yes".
- Slide into a long, rounded oo: nyoo.
- Check it rhymes with "few". If it rhymes with "too", the y is missing.
Practise "new" in a sentence
- Happy New Year! Have you made any resolutions?
- I've just bought a new pair of trainers.
- Is the new café on the high street any good?
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 new in a British accent?
In Received Pronunciation, new is pronounced /njuː/, roughly "NYOO". Say a small "y" after the N, so "new" sounds like "nyoo" and rhymes with "few".
Is the American pronunciation of new wrong?
No. /nuː/ is standard in American English. Both are correct, they simply belong to different accents. If you are learning a British accent, aim for /njuː/.