How to pronounce befall
Say it like bih-FAWL. Befall has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (FAWL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce befall. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- bih
- FAWL
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Befall pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- bihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- FAWLSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
American vs British pronunciation of befall
American and British speakers say befall in essentially the same way: /bɪˈfɔl/ in the US and /bɪˈfɔːl/ in the UK.
British respelling: bih-FAWL.
What does befall mean?
- To fall upon; fall all over; overtake.“At dusk an unusual calm befalls the wetlands.”
- To happen.
- To happen to.“Temptation befell me.”
- Case; instance; circumstance; event; incident; accident.
Where does befall come from?
From Middle English bifallen, from Old English befeallan, from Proto-West Germanic *bifallan, from Proto-Germanic *bifallaną; equivalent to be- + fall.
Words that rhyme with befall
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of befall.
Questions about saying befall
How do you pronounce befall?
Say bih-FAWL. The American pronunciation is /bɪˈfɔl/. In British English it is /bɪˈfɔːl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in befall?
Befall has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (FAWL). Broken into parts: bih · FAWL.
Do Americans and Brits say befall the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /bɪˈfɔl/ and the British form is /bɪˈfɔːl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.