How to Slur Words

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: December 29, 2021 References

Slurring your words usually carries a negative connotation and is typically caused by anxiety, being drunk, or having a neurological problem.^{[1]
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Research source} While most people try to fix slurred speech, you may want to intentionally slur your words. Luckily, if you position your tongue and mouth the right way, adjust your speech, and practice, you can realistically slur your words.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Your Mouth and Tongue

1
Keep your lips as close together as you can when you speak. The less open your mouth is, the less you’ll be able to enunciate your words and the more you’ll slur. Speak while keeping your lips only partially open. This should add to the slurring of your speech.^{[2]
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2
Push your tongue up to the roof of your mouth. Less room in your mouth can cause you to slur. Push the tip of your tongue to the roof of your mouth and try to speak. You’ll notice that if you don’t move your tongue, you’ll develop a slur.^{[3]
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Speak with a pen in your mouth. Put a pen in your mouth and speak while your tongue is under the pen. You’ll notice that you are slurring your words. Practice with a pen in your mouth, then try to replicate the position of your tongue after you take it out of your mouth.^{[4]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Adjusting Your Speech

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Don’t use punctuation. Don’t leave a pause for periods and commas. Instead, just flow from statement to statement as if it were a run on sentence. This will make your words sound slurred and disjointed.^{[5]
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- Speaking on a lot of topics in succession while avoiding punctuation will make it seem like you’re slurring your sentences together.
2
Alternate speaking quickly and slowly. Changing up the speed of your speech will also replicate a slur. Go from speaking fairly fast to slow within your sentences.^{[6]
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3
Don’t say entire words. Cutting off the beginning or the ending of a word in a sentence will make it hard for people to understand you and will make it sound like you are slurring. Say only the middle portions of words instead of the entire word to make it sound like you’re slurring.
- For example, if you want to say “Hey, over there,” you can instead say “Ey, ov ere” to make it sound like you’re slurring.
4
Repeat words that you’re saying incorrectly. One way to make a slur seem realistic is by repeating the same word that you’re saying incorrectly over and over. This will make it seem like you’re unable to get the word out and will increase the believability of your slur.^{[7]
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- You can say something like, "Tey te eh They we war were oin going," instead of saying "They were going."
5
Alternate the pitch of your voice from high to low. Your pitch is the tone or key that you’re speaking in. Instead of keeping your pitch the same as you talk, speak in a high, then low voice and continue alternating between them.
- You can say something like “You know, I like you.” Start with a high pitch for “You,” then quickly lower the pitch for the word “know.” Keep your pitch low for “I,” then raise it again for “like you.”

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Getting Better at Slurring

1
Practice slurring when you’re alone. Slur your words when you’re alone to perfect it. The more that you practice slurring, the easier it will be to start slurring on command.
2
Record yourself slurring. Use an audio recorder to record your slurring practice sessions. Often, what we hear in our head differs to what we sound like to other people. Record yourself and listen to the playback, then adjust how you’re speaking to improve your slur.^{[8]
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Ask friends or family if your slur is believable. Practice your slur in front of people that you know and ask them if it sounds legitimate. They can help you evaluate the authenticity of your slur and clue you into things that you should adjust to sound more realistic.

Community Q&A

Question

Is there anything I can do in particular to make my slur sound like someone who is drunk?

Community Answer

You can try to do this by faking hiccups, and keeping your lips slightly together and drawn to the right side while talking.