Wondering what American accent you have? Here are 3 online quizzes that can diagnose which regional dialect you use based on your pronunciation and vocabulary. We tried a dozen different dialect tests to determine which gave the clearest, most accurate feedback and analysis. One even got us pinned down to the right state!
There were definitely some duds in there, too. One thought I was British, and another said my accent was “high-pitched.” Not sure how that’s an American accent or how that’s determined from written answers. So don’t worry, we excluded those. And all of our favorites are fast and easy to take. They don’t require any apps or downloads, and most are free!
Babbel’s Dialect Quiz
The foreign language learning app Babbel has a great American Dialect Quiz on its website. It’s fast, free, and there’s no need to download an app or make an account. The 15-question quiz covers both word pronunciations (“how do you pronounce ‘lawyer’?“) and regional terminology (“do you call a carbonated beverage soda, pop, or coke?”).
The quiz results tell you which region of the United States your accent hails from. Our results were accurate, but a little bit broad. I grew up in Virginia, and they dubbed me from “The South,” even though my Southern accent is negligible. And Sherry, who is from New Jersey, got “The Northeast.” Again, accurate, but a little broad when you consider how distinct pockets of the Northeast sound (Boston vs. Brooklyn, for instance).
GoToQuiz’s What American Accent Do You Have?
Although this website is more obscure and its design is pretty outdated, GoToQuiz’s free American accent quiz is straightforward and pretty accurate. It’s only 13 questions long and focuses on your pronunciation of different vowel sounds in words like pin vs. pen, caught vs. cot, and merry vs. mary vs. marry. Heads up: there are A LOT of ads on this page, and many disguise themselves as part of the quiz. Be sure to ONLY click “Submit Answers” to get your results.
Our results were more mixed on this quiz. I got a “Midland” accent, which they say is like “not having an accent.” Having grown up near Washington DC, I am told my accent is fairly neutral or mixed, but the results don’t specifically point to this region of the country. It was fun to see our results presented as a graph of different regions though, since most people speak with a blend of regional dialects.
NYT U.S. Dialect Quiz
Our favorite accent test BY FAR, for both accuracy and depth of information, is The New York Times’ U.S. Dialect Quiz. It does sit behind a subscriber paywall, but it’s just too good not to include on this list. It’s 25 questions long, and after each response, you get a colored “heatmap” of where your answer is most common in the United States. At the end, you’re given a clear geographic picture of your accent.
The results were spot on for both of us (mine above, Sherry’s below). The heatmap was scarily accurate, and even the 3 cities they highlighted for each of us nearly triangulated where we grew up. We also noticed our final questions on the test were slightly different, showing that the quiz was adapting as we took it.
Additionally, this test provides details below the map about which of your answers were most telling. My biggest giveaway was calling a drive-through liquor store a “Brew Thru,” which is a specific chain in the Outer Banks, NC. For Sherry, it was the term “Mischief Night” (the night before Halloween). We don’t use those words often, but apparently they represent highly regionalized knowledge!
Note: The maps above show our 2026 results, but you can see our original results from when we first discussed this quiz in 2013.
Our Favorite Accent Tests: A Summary
These 3 dialect quizzes are all fun and fast to take, so we suggest trying all 3 to see how your results compare. Based on our experience, here’s are the pros and cons of each:
- New York Times US Dialect Quiz: The most accurate and most detailed quiz, but requires a subscriber account to take. Take this if you want to learn the most about what defines your dialect and how it compares to other areas of the country.
- Babbel American Dialect Quiz: The easiest quiz to complete, with a clean and free interface. Results are broad, but this is a quick & fun way to see which region of the country your accent matches most.
- GoToQuiz American Accent Test: The fastest quiz to complete, offering a bit more detailed results than the Babbel quiz. We found it to be a bit less accurate, but the nuance in the diagnosis and bar chart results made it worth taking.
Jess says
Linguist challenge accepted!
Sherry:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn_dLgTWuM8&list=TL-0LouhYRTGaBTPzuG57buiKmBRsHAgkU
Noticeable dialect features in Sherry’s speech:
New England vowels
-Most evident in the fronting of pre-nasal /a/ in John. If you listen carefully, it’s so front that there’s almost an “ee” sound that proceeds the vowel. Also evident in “it will be gone” at 5:23.
-BAT vowel is also fronted (listen for “cabinets”)
A little bit of BOOT vowel fronting. “grooves” at 6:12 “I just wanted to” at 6:17. This is a California vowel system feature, but has been documented for young women more generally across the country.
Also a LOT of phrase-final creak (a.k.a. “vocal fry”) which is a pretty common feature among educated women.
John
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxhNUVax5iI
A lot of nasality!
And sorry, John, but you’ve got a few noticeable southern English features.
-Not a lot of space between the PIN and PEN vowels…must be those Virginia roots! (I’m going to slide this “in” and “then” at about 0:27) “Obviously this is not in” at 0:34 — the merger is happening by PIN moving toward PEN rather than the other way around.
-BIT and BET vowels merging the other direction (“git” for “get” at 1:31
Some of the same fronting of BOOT and BOAT, especially in “doin'” at the end of the video. Again, a California feature which has been co-opted by young professionals across the country, so no surprise.
Of course, this is all going only on impressionistic stuff. When I finish my dissertation, I’d have time to feed your speech into an analysis tool and actually get measurements on all these vowels. :P
Jess says
Oh and, I forgot to add–that same process that moves the vowel in “John” would also probably produce “far-head.” :)
It seems you each can place the other’s accent very well.
Young House Life says
SO INTERESTING! LOVE IT!
xo
s
Kayla says
oh my gosh, I wasn’t expecting this to be correct, but it pinned me down perfectly! it said I am 100% Island North and the description reads “You may think you speak ‘Standard English straight out of the dictionary’ but when you step away from the Great Lakes you get asked annoying questions like ‘Are you from Wisconsin?’ or ‘Are you from Chicago?'” — Hilarious because I am from Wisconsin, just moved to Chicago, and don’t think I have an accent at all!
Heather Kurilla says
That was fun! Spot on for this girl!! Thanks for sharing.
erin t says
96% the west. which is spot on considering i’ve never lived anywhere else! although i can’t figure out why i didn’t get 100%, i mean i was born in southern cali and now live in oregon. maybe it was the border crossing!
Lindsey says
I got 95% “Midland” and 88% “The West,” which is weird because I’ve lived on the West coast about 99% of my life… still, no accent is a good accent! :)
Jenni says
I scored a 100% for Midland, which I guess shouldn’t be surprising since I’m from Kansas City, Missouri!
Benita says
Ooh, I’m so proud, I’m 94% north east, probably New york! I wish. I’m in Sweden :)
Jen says
I took the quiz twice because I didn’t believe it. I live in Washington and apparently have the midland accent. I’ve had the conversations of accents with others and they have all said I had a west coast accent, so I don’t know if i didn’t answer it right or what. Maybe I can pass for both?
Anna says
Well, since I’ve never been the USA and actually learned “Standard English straight out of the dictionary” I was surprised to learn that that’s an accent though. So: 85% The Inland North although I’m from Germany. Love these random quizzes!
Maria says
Haha, that’s so funny!
I just did the test, and while I was born in Australia, spent some years in Canada and now live in Holland, my score said I had a Philadelphia accent (93%) , what the what?
Catherine says
I got Northeast. … and I’m not even from America. … so explain that one…. :-)
Good to know what I’d sound like if I were American though….
Julianne says
Too fun! As a Canuck, I got 100% “North Central”. It actually said, “Outsiders probably mistake you for a Canadian a lot”, lol! :0) Thanks for sharing this!!
Cedes says
I’m sad that Midwest isn’t one of the accent options… there are a handful of words that people think I say funny. ie: bagel (its a BAGel not a BAYgel), know (noo), roof (Ruf) and roots (Ruts), although I’ve lived on the east coast long enough now, that I’ve learned the “correct” vernacular. Although give me two seconds with my family in Wisconsin and I’ve got that “accent” back!
Cedes says
Oh, and I got midland too, 88%.
heather s says
i got 100% philadelphia, which is hilarious because while i am from that region, i definitely don’t think i have an accent!
Nora Rose says
As a Bostonian but more of a lifelong Massachusetts resident, I didn’t think you had an accent. And then I got North Central (Minnesota!) instead! But when I meet people from other states, they always remark that I don’t have a Boston accent. I think you really have to be from the city to have one, otherwise it’s a neutral accent. I just say lots of words strangely from working in telemarketing (diet coke from the south, dog and coffee from NJ/LI, etc).
Becky B says
Philadelphia (or surrounding areas)… spot on as I am from South Jersey!
Linda says
So funny, I got Midland (86% inland north) I was born and have lived in Ky all my life! The south is the third lowest on my chart lol.
It makes sense now why everyone where I live says I don’t have an accent from Kentucky. :)
Tracie says
I scored 95% Midland. My “South” rating was next to last. As a girl who has lived in Alabama most of my life, I’ve managed to avoid the sweet, southern drawl many have around here.
erin says
i have a 100% midland accent. which is kind of funny because i’ve been asked so many times where i’m from and I’ll say i’m from md/dc. and they’re like Noooo… i don’t believe you. *shrugs*
Melissa says
:) I have always wondered…
Apparently I’m 88% Boston, 88% the West, 85% Midland.
Born and raised in RI.
Some people from the South tell me I sound British. Do you ever get that?
Shauna says
Hilarious. I’m from Seattle and I have a Boston accent, according to this. I live in France, and when I go back to the States, the accents stick out like big noses or something, then they all fade away in a few days. But I love them, they tell so much about each of us.
Tiffany says
I got 100% the Inland North…which I guess makes sense since I’m in upstate NY! The Northeast was 76% :)
Clare says
Whoa – 95% Midland too. I guess this thick Northern Virginia accent has affected me as much as it has John.
Ali says
88% Midland and 84% South – spot on! :)
Janet says
That was so fun! I thought for sure I’d be midland (Kansas) but it came up West! How did it know I was raised in California? By southerners at that so I can easily get twangy if I’m not careful! Although yesterday, someone commented on my great “Minnesota accent.” ?? Who knew?
Katie O says
My husband has been making fun of me for nine years about there being no difference in the way I say “pin” and “pen”. I HAVE BEEN VINDICATED!!!
Tracey says
I got the same as you, John. I live in North Eastern Ohio so it makes sense. It’s kinda funny though, because I have West Virginia roots, so a lot of words (that weren’t on this quiz) come out very…. Foothills like? LOL. Like, if its very late I’ll say, “I’m tarred.” (Tired.) And I say “y’all” a lot. And I say button as if there are no tt’s – Bu–on. Don’t ask… Love this quiz though!!!
Kristin says
Inland North and, yes, I AM from Wisconsin and I DO call soda “pop”.
Erica says
Mine was 100% Midland and I’m from St. Louis, MO! I am always told that I have an accent when I visit places east coast or south, but this proves I don’t. Haha!
heather says
Your Result: The Northeast 100% Judging by how you talk you are probably from north Jersey, New York City, Connecticut or Rhode Island. Chances are, if you are from New York City (and not those other places) people would probably be able to tell if they actually heard you speak.
i can’t believe they nailed it! right on the money. from nyc. amazing!
Ana says
I got the Midland accent (as in no accent). I have a linguistics degree and in my very first class, the professor asked who was from extreme south Texas (just above the border with Mexico). A number of us raised our hands and then he asked, “How many of you have people ask where you’re from since they don’t hear an accent?” Most of us kept our hands up. I speak uninflected standard American English, which is based on the Ohio dialect. (I’ve never even been to Ohio.)
Laura says
I got 100% Philadelphia. “Your accent is as Philadelphian as a cheesesteak!” Pretty darn accurate considering I’ve lived here my entire life… and had a cheesesteak last weekend. Yum!
Sophie says
I thought it would be quite interesting to see what it said about me, as I’m very much British (I was the brit who sent you the red telephone box postcard for the display in your first house’s office). Apparently that equates to Northeast American; I’m ‘probably from Jersey, NYC, Connecticut or RI’.
Emily Fridenmaker says
I took the big dialect quiz floating around that gives you a map of the US and colors it based on the places you sound like. I was solid Appalachia (southern WV, eastern Kentuckyish), which was fitting since I am from southern WV. I get ‘You have an accent!’ a lot. And there’s no difference in pin and pen for me either! I have a friend from Boston who somehow manages to make Mary, merry, and marry all sound different. Impressive.
Kim says
Mine was spot on – 93% Philadelphian baby!!!! Yes, I totally say ‘WARSH’ for wash and ‘WOODER’ for water :) I also used to say ‘CROWN’ for crayon but my girls didn’t know what I was talking about, so I had to make myself say it properly – LOL!!!
Madeline K. says
I’m 100% Midland! I studied broadcast journalism in college and was always told I had a great voice for TV!
Erin says
Mine was spot on!! Inland North – I’m from Chicago!! LOL! it even said that in the results.
Annie says
94% Northeast….. I have no idea what this means for me. I am from the South East…of England. :-)
Katie says
100% Midland for me!! Which makes sense, I guess? Both parents were born in Chicaaaaaahgo so I think I picked up a few things from them. Me and my brothers were teased for calling milk “melk” when we moved to a very country part of Maryland… John and Sherry, you probably drive through my old town on your way to the beach in the summer :)
My fiance’s mom as a THICK Jersey Girl accent, but she totally denies it! Hah! I love it when she says drawer or four or dog!
Alicia says
I got North Central; it says “North Central” is what professional linguists call the Minnesota accent. If you saw “Fargo” you probably didn’t think the characters sounded very out of the ordinary. Outsiders probably mistake you for a Canadian a lot.
Which makes sense seeing as I am Canadian and live in Canada haha ;)
Kyle says
95% Midland here.
Nora N says
Ha says I have a 100% Midland Accent =) which idk since I was raised in California but am Bilingual in Spanish (I’m Mexican)
Kelly says
I got Midland, and I’m from a city near Dallas. So I feel like it was accurate. However, the further South I go, the more Southern I sound. So who knows.
Emily V says
100% Inland North. But people in Michigan don’t have accents ;) I think I’ll go get a pop now!
Kristine says
Mine came up as inland north, which pretty much just seem to mean that I differentiate between most of the sounds. I’m actually an international student from Norway who is attending college in South Dakota, so I guess my accent is influenced by that! It was also funny to see that there was a mention of others maybe thinking I was from Wisconsin, as that’s where my fiancé is from!
Marianne says
LOL, I am a Dutch girl with a Midland accent. Does a Midland accent sound like a horrible Dutch accent? Fun quiz though!
Young House Life says
I love hearing from people from other countries! It’s so funny how it’s pegging you guys!
xo
s
Emily Lundie says
I came up 85% The Inland North – which makes sense as I grew up in Illinois and now live in Wisconsin.
I thought the Dawn/Don questions were hilarious. My best friend’s name is Dawn and her Dad’s name is Don. In the “Inland North” they sound completely different, but people from the west always pronounce them the same. Drives her crazy!!!
Sara says
Midland! (And I’ve from RVA). This was hard!
Sara says
Crud. I’m**
Carrie says
I got Inland North too. I’m originally from Western NY state so the “Great Lakes accent” definitely seems like it’d be accurate. It seems like in Eastern NY state they have a lot more words that sound different, that to us Inlanders sound the same. Even my first name. Eastern NY folks pronounce Carrie, Kari, and Kerry all differently. To me, they all sound the same.
I’ve been living in NC the past 10 years though, apparently I haven’t picked up too much southern accent (58%).
Bethany says
Well, I got 96% The West and 95% The Midland…and only 21% the Northeast…but I was born and raised in Vermont and have never lived outside New England. I like to think I don’t have an accent…but my fiancee tells me all the time that I sound like I’m from Canada- maybe that’s why the quiz couldn’t figure me out :)