How to Pronounce “Zero” in British English

This article is about one number— zero. I guess that in your language and many other languages in this world, this number is pronounced the same regardless of when this number is used. But did you know that this number is pronounced differently in different situations in English that is used in the United Kingdom? Let me explain the four different ways and give you examples, which you can see below.

Number zero in mobile phone numbers

In British mobile phone and landline numbers, as well as bank account numbers, this number is pronounced like the letter “o.” So 07887203054 is “o, seven, double eight (or you can say “eight eight”), seven, two, o, three, o, five four,” 01202 890731 is “oh, one, two oh two, eight, nine, oh, seven, three one” and someone who has an account number which is 07555030 and sort code which is 509504 is “o, seven, triple five (or you can say “five, five five”) oh, three oh” and “five, oh, nine, five, oh four.”

Zero in tennis

In tennis, the number is “love” (yes, love! I don't know why, but maybe this can be your homework? hehe). So 40-0 is “forty love,” and 30-0 is “thirty love.”

Zero in football

In football scores, the number is “nil.” So 2-0 is “two nil,” 0-0 is “nil nil,” and Real Madrid beat Valencia 6-0 is “Real Madrid beat Valencia six nil.”

Zero number in math

Finally, in math, science, economics, and anything finance or business-related, it is “zero.” So 0.7 is “zero point seven.” To talk about temperatures, you would say, for example, “It was three degrees below zero every night last month,” and 0% growth is “zero percent growth.”

I hope this article helps you understand how this number is pronounced in different situations in British English. I wonder if the above information about this unique number is interesting. If you have any questions at all, feel free to send me a message! Enjoy the rest of your day/night wherever you are in this big, wide world.