How to pronounce "far away" in English — Connected Speech Guide (IPA /ˌfɑrəˈweɪ/)

How native English speakers pronounce "far away" (IPA /ˌfɑrəˈweɪ/) — connected speech rule, example sentences, and audio for GA and RP. Free. RP keeps r only because a vowel follows (linking r)

far away pronunciation (IPA /ˌfɑrəˈweɪ/) — Linking

What happens in this phrase

RP keeps r only because a vowel follows (linking r)

Example sentences

They live far away from here.
The beach is far away.
He moved far away last year.
It's not that far away.

Common mistakes by native language

Japanese speakers

Mistake: Pronouncing it as "FAA AWEI" with a clear gap between the words and a full katakana [a] vowel.

Why: Katakana English preserves each word as separate and cannot easily produce the r-linking that connects them.

Fix: In American English, the r of "far" links directly to the vowel of "away": [ˈfɑːrəˈweɪ]. In British RP (non-rhotic), a linking-r or intrusive-r appears: [ˈfɑːrəˈweɪ] as well, borrowed from GA-style linking despite non-rhoticity.

Korean speakers

Mistake: Producing a glottal reset before "away" and a full [a] vowel for both words.

Why: Korean prosody adds glottal onsets to word-initial vowels.

Fix: Let the r of "far" link directly to the schwa of "away": [ˈfɑːrəˈweɪ]. If you're targeting RP, the r appears as a "linking r" between vowels even though it disappears in "far alone".

Spanish speakers

Mistake: Producing the r as a rolled or tapped Spanish r, and full [a] vowels throughout.

Why: Spanish r is [r] or [ɾ]; English r is a very different [ɹ] approximant.

Fix: English r is [ɹ] — no tongue tap, just an approximant. And the vowel in "away" is a schwa [ə], not full [a]. Say [ˈfɑːrəˈweɪ].

Similar phrase patterns

for a moment — r-linking to schwa: Same r-linking: [ˈfɔːrəˈmoʊmənt]. Common in phrases like "for a while", "for a bit".
here I am — r-linking + I-linking: [hɪərˈaɪˈjæm]. Multiple linkings stacked in a common declaration.
there is — r-linking or intrusive-r: [ˈðɛərˈɪz]. In RP, the r appears even though "there" alone is [ðɛə].

Practice sentences

The stars seem so far away tonight. (reflective observation)
She lives far away from her hometown. (geographic distance)
Don't wander too far away from the group. (safety warning)
My childhood feels far away now. (wistful reminiscence)
It's not that far away by car — maybe an hour. (practical distance)

Notes

"Far away" is a canonical example of r-linking in English, where the word-final r of one word connects directly to the vowel-initial next word. In American English (rhotic), the r is always pronounced in "far" whether or not another word follows: [fɑːr]. In British RP (non-rhotic), "far" alone ends in a vowel [fɑː], but the r reappears when a vowel follows in the next word: this is called the "linking r", and it makes "far away" [ˈfɑːrəˈweɪ] in both GA and RP. A related phenomenon is the "intrusive r", where an r appears between vowels even though there's no r in the spelling: "idea of" → [aɪˈdɪərəv] in RP. Both linking-r and intrusive-r are systematic and native; understanding them removes a common barrier to smooth English speech and comprehension.