Confusing words: price vs. prize
For learners of English, the confusion between price and prize is often more connected to pronunciation than to the words’ meaning.
That said, in some languages price and prize have just one equivalent word, so let’s look at the difference in meaning before we discuss pronunciation.
Price
The price of something is the amount of money you have to pay for it.
- Could you tell me the price of this book, please?
- I am not going to buy it – the price is too high.
Prize
If you do something exceptional or win a competition, you will get a prize.
- Elaine won first prize in a poetry competition at school.
- The Red Cross has won the Nobel Peace Prize three times – in 1917, 1943 and 1963.
Pronunciation of price and prize
Price is pronounced with an ‘s’ sound at the end /praɪs/
but
prize is pronounced with a ‘z’ sound at the end /praɪz/.
The /aɪ/ sound in price is short
but
the /aɪ/ sound in prize is longer.
Price rhymes with nice and ice
but
prize rhymes with size.
Listen to the difference:
price
Do you have a problem with the pronunciation of price and prize? Or do these two words translate to just one word in your language? Please let me know in the comments below.
Enock - November 20, 2020, 9:21 am
Good analysis, keep it up.
Alex - January 31, 2021, 7:07 pm
Thanks. I always had a problem with how to pronounce price and prize.
Alex