How to pronounce bilingual
Say it like by-LING-gwul. Bilingual has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LING).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce bilingual. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- by
- LING
- gwul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bilingual pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- byKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- LINGSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- gwulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of bilingual
American and British speakers say bilingual in essentially the same way: /baɪˈlɪŋɡwəl/ in the US and /baɪˈlɪŋɡwəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: by-LING-gwul.
What does bilingual mean?
- using or knowing two languages“bilingual education”
- a person who speaks two languages fluently
Where does bilingual come from?
From Latin bilinguis + -al; equivalent to bi- + lingual.
Words that rhyme with bilingual
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of bilingual.
Questions about saying bilingual
How do you pronounce bilingual?
Say by-LING-gwul. The American pronunciation is /baɪˈlɪŋɡwəl/. In British English it is /baɪˈlɪŋɡwəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bilingual?
Bilingual has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LING). Broken into parts: by · LING · gwul.
Do Americans and Brits say bilingual the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /baɪˈlɪŋɡwəl/ and the British form is /baɪˈlɪŋɡwəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.