How to pronounce dolphin
Say it like DOL-fun. Dolphin has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DOL).
VoiceSpeed
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce dolphin. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
US American/ˈdɑlfən/DOL-fun
UK British/ˈdɒlfɪn/DOL-fin
- DOL
- fun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Dolphin pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- DOLSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- funKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of dolphin
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: DOL-fin.
What does dolphin mean?
noun
- large slender food and game fish widely distributed in warm seas (especially around Hawaii)
- any of various small toothed whales with a beaklike snout; larger than porpoises
Questions about saying dolphin
How do you pronounce dolphin?
Say DOL-fun. The American pronunciation is /ˈdɑlfən/. In British English it is /ˈdɒlfɪn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in dolphin?
Dolphin has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DOL). Broken into parts: DOL · fun.
Is dolphin pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /ˈdɒlfɪn/ (DOL-fin).