Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

shoulda

/ˈʃʊdə/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.14 in modern English

Syllables: shoul-da
IPA: /ˈʃʊdə/

11

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

2

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

Contraction of should + have.

Colloquial

Example Sentences

"You shoulda told him the truth."
"Ah shoulda known bettern't' challenge a genius!"

Etymology

Written form of a reduction of should have.

Usage

Colloquial

Phrases

woulda, coulda, shoulda

Frequently Paired Words

coulda shouldna should've woulda mighta musta

Rhymes With

buddha woulda coulda huda

Questions

How do you pronounce shoulda?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈʃʊdə/.
What does shoulda mean?: Contraction of should + have.
Where does shoulda come from?: Written form of a reduction of should have.

How to pronounce shoulda

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “shoulda”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈʃʊdə/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “shoulda”.
Repeat and practice — Say “shoulda” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.