PODCAST INCLUDED: Pronouncing “Address” and Other Street Names

There are a two ways to say the word “address.” How do you know if you are pronouncing it correctly? Listen to this podcast and while we are at it, let’s talk about how to say the number of the address and which words to stress in street names.

Pronouncing the word “Address”

You’ll be glad to know that pronouncing the word “address” is basically a “free for all.” Thats correct! If you stress the first syllable, “A-ddress” -you are saying a noun. That is the physical place where you live or are referring to. For example, “What is your address?” (noun). If you stress the second syllable and say “a-DDRESS,” you are talking about the verb. That is the action of writing the address on a package or envelope. I notice that when I say, “What is your email address?” I stress the word “email” and say “a-DDRESS” like it’s a verb, which it’s not…

So that is why I’m telling you that our rules are made to be broken. You may choose to say it either way and no one is going to tell you that it is wrong.

Pronouncing Numbers. 

United States addresses can be spoken individually or grouped together. For example if the house number is 1536, you may say “1-5-3-6” or group the numbers together and say “15-36.” Another example is 113, you may say “1-1-3” or group them and say “1-13.”

Pronouncing Street Names 

Even your American friends will not know that they are doing this! When the word “Street” is part of the address and if it’s at the end of a phrase or sentence, you will stress the word before “Street.” For example: Brad lives on Main Street. (stress the word Main). He lives at 1523 Wood Street. (stress the word Wood).

English speakers tend to use word stress on “Boulevard,” “Avenue,” and “Road.” For example: He lives on Beechwood Boulevard. The President lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.