ran · run The difference in meaning and sound
What they mean
Ran is the simple past: "I ran to the station." Run is the present tense and also the past participle: "I run every day," "I have run three marathons."
这些都是 App 里的真实音频，请打开声音。
Hear both words in 10 voices
Each row is one speaker saying both words. Play one, then the other, and switch to slow when the difference hides.
- American woman, younger
- American woman, older
- American man, younger
- American man, older
- British woman, younger
- British woman, older
- British man, younger
- British man, older
- Australian woman
- Australian man
What's different
The r at the start darkens and rounds the first moment of both vowels. Then ran opens into a bright æ, which many American voices stretch into a glide before the n, while run stays short and dull.
In a sentence, ran and run are often said quickly and without stress, which shortens both. Learn the difference with the slow recordings first, then switch to normal speed.
研究： Lambacher et al. 2002 · Lambacher et al. 2005 · Nishi & Kewley-Port 2007
æ（hat）宽而明亮，ʌ（hut）短而放松。
More word pairs with these sounds
听辨 hat 和 hut: all 18 pairs →This collection is free in the app
In the TellApart app, all 18 pairs in this collection are free to practice, with no purchase.
现在就开始，听出差别。
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