Pronunciation Reduction For

Smile for me.

For has an exceptionally easy reduction. It reduces to fer. The reason for the reduction is due to it being a function word instead of a content word. Here are a few examples of the reduction of the preposition for:

• Smile fer me.
• She needed it fer her dog.
• Look fer it with me.
• The present is fer Jenny.
• What are you doing fer dinner?

The exception to this is when the English speaker needs to highlight the for. When this happens, it sounds like the word four. Here are a few examples of putting stress on for, as if it is a content word:

• What do you need it four?
• Can I have it? No, it is four me only!
• Who is the present four? The present is four Jenny.
• Four Pete’s sake!

The last example is a fun one, and not formal grammar. It is a euphemistic variant of For Christ’s sake. All in good fun!