How to pronounce "ten cups" in English — Connected Speech Guide (IPA /ˈtɛŋˈkʌps/)

How native English speakers pronounce "ten cups" (IPA /ˈtɛŋˈkʌps/) — connected speech rule, example sentences, and audio for GA and RP. Free. n→/ŋ/ before k

ten cups pronunciation (IPA /ˈtɛŋˈkʌps/) — Assimilation

What happens in this phrase

n→/ŋ/ before k

Example sentences

We need ten cups.
There are ten cups.
Buy ten cups.
I counted ten cups.

Common mistakes by native language

Japanese speakers

Mistake: Pronouncing it as "TEN KAPPUSU" with clear [n] and aspirated katakana-style consonants.

Why: Katakana English preserves each word as separate.

Fix: The n of "ten" assimilates to [ŋ] before the velar k of "cups": [ˈtɛŋˈkʌps]. Say "tengcups" as one unit.

Korean speakers

Mistake: Producing clear [n] and aspirated [kʰ] with syllable break.

Why: Korean prosody keeps consonants clean.

Fix: n → [ŋ] before /k/ in casual speech: [ˈtɛŋˈkʌps]. Same rule as "in case" [ˈɪŋˈkeɪs], "green car" [ˈɡriːŋˈkɑːr].

Spanish speakers

Mistake: Producing clear [n] without assimilation, and clean [k] with light release.

Why: Spanish n has partial assimilation but less systematic than English.

Fix: English n before k systematically becomes velar [ŋ]: [ˈtɛŋˈkʌps]. Universal in fluent speech.

Similar phrase patterns

in case — n → [ŋ] before /k/: [ˈɪŋˈkeɪs]. Same velar assimilation, different context.
green car — n → [ŋ] before /k/: [ˈɡriːŋˈkɑːr]. Same rule with adjective + noun.
brown bag — n → [m] before /b/: [ˈbraʊmˈbæɡ]. Parallel bilabial assimilation family.

Practice sentences

Please bring ten cups for the party. (quantity request)
The recipe calls for ten cups of flour. (cooking instruction)
I've had at least ten cups of coffee today. (exaggeration about caffeine)
Only ten cups fit on the tray. (capacity limit)
Ten cups of sugar? That's way too much. (surprised objection)

Notes

"Ten cups" is a canonical counting-phrase example of velar place assimilation: the alveolar [n] shifts to velar [ŋ] before the velar [k], producing [ˈtɛŋˈkʌps]. The rule generalizes across all counting + noun combinations where the number ends in n and the noun starts with k or g: "ten kids" → [ˈtɛŋˈkɪdz], "one guy" → [ˈwʌŋˈɡaɪ], "seven cars" → [ˈsɛvəŋˈkɑːrz]. Compare with the bilabial family: "ten pounds" → [ˈtɛmˈpaʊndz] (n → m before p), "ten miles" → [ˈtɛmˈmaɪlz] (n → m before m). The assimilation is optional in slow careful speech but universal in casual English. Understanding this pattern helps learners produce natural counting phrases and recognize them in native speech, where the assimilation may otherwise sound like a different word than the letters suggest.