How To Properly Say The Word “Herb”

Is it herbs with an “h” or herbs with an “erb” to you? The debate between the correct way to pronounce the word “herb” has long been a part of British versus American for decades.

Amongst those who speak British English, the “h” gets pronounced, while those of us who speak American English leave it out while saying the world.

And why is that? Adam Ragusea, a food vlogger, has decided to get to the bottom of why that is. He shared some insight on YouTube, explaining that the English word is derived from the French word, “herbe,” and in French, the “h” isn’t really pronounced either. Guess the Americans just took their cue from the French.

As Ragusea has explained, “You Brits….may be wondering, ‘Hey, why do you Yanks not pronounce the H in herbs?’ Well, I suppose we could ask you, do you pronounce the H in honest, honor, hour, heir? Well then why do you pronounce the H in herb? These are all loanwords from French, and the French basically never pronounce Hs when it comes in the beginning position of a word, or at the end, or in various other places.”

He then went into a further detailed explanation of the history of the word “herb,” explaining that the British didn’t actually begin pronouncing the “h” at the start of the word until about the 19th century.

He added, “According to the Oxford English Dictionary, you Brits said herb with a silent H right up until some time in the 19th century. Only then did you start to adapt this loanword into your own pronunciation habits. For whatever reason, we Americans just simply haven’t gotten around to anglicizing herb yet.”

In short, the way that Americans and the British pronounce it is neither fully right or fully wrong.

Watch the full explanation down below:

How do you pronounce it? Does it align with where you’re from? Let us know!