How to pronounce diesel
Say it like DEE-sul. Diesel has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DEE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce diesel. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- DEE
- sul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Diesel pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- DEESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- sulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of diesel
American and British speakers say diesel in essentially the same way: /ˈdisəl/ in the US and /ˈdiːzəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: DEE-zul.
What does diesel mean?
- an internal-combustion engine that burns heavy oil
- German engineer (born in France) who invented the diesel engine (1858-1913)
Where does diesel come from?
From German Diesel, named after inventor Rudolf Diesel, who developed a heavy-duty engine in Germany (1892–1897) and perfected it throughout his life.
Questions about saying diesel
How do you pronounce diesel?
Say DEE-sul. The American pronunciation is /ˈdisəl/. In British English it is /ˈdiːzəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in diesel?
Diesel has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DEE). Broken into parts: DEE · sul.
Do Americans and Brits say diesel the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈdisəl/ and the British form is /ˈdiːzəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.