Why Americans Drop the H in Him, Her, His & He
Sep 23, 2026Have you ever noticed that the H seems to disappear in words like him, her, his, and he when Americans are speaking?
That's a common feature of connected speech.
In everyday conversation, the H in these words is often reduced or omitted when the word occurs in the middle of a phrase or sentence. This allows the words to connect more smoothly and helps create a natural conversational rhythm.
For example:
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Tell him.
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Ask her.
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Take his information.
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Did he like it?
There are exceptions. If the word begins a phrase or if a speaker wants to emphasize it for a particular meaning or emotion, you'll often hear the H.
In this video lesson, we'll practice both the pattern and the exception so you can begin using this feature more naturally in your own speech.
Want Personalized Help With Your Pronunciation?
Connected speech is one of the many things that can affect how natural and easy to understand your speech sounds.
Visit the Accent Channel Instructor Network to find an Accent Channel Certified Speech Coach who can help you identify the patterns that will make the biggest difference in your communication.
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