How to pronounce emotional
Say it like ih-MOH-shuh-nul. Emotional has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MOH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce emotional. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ih
- MOH
- shuh
- nul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Emotional pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- MOHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- shuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- nulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of emotional
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: ih-MOH-shuh-nul.
Other ways to say emotional
Emotional also has this pronunciation, usually with a different meaning or use:
- EE-moh-shuh-nul /ˈiˌmoʊʃənəl/
What does emotional mean?
- determined or actuated by emotion rather than reason“it was an emotional judgment”
- of more than usual emotion“his behavior was highly emotional”
- of or pertaining to emotion“emotional health”“an emotional crisis”
Where does emotional come from?
From emotion + -al.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with emotional
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of emotional.
Questions about saying emotional
How do you pronounce emotional?
Say ih-MOH-shuh-nul. The American pronunciation is /ɪˈmoʊʃənəl/. In British English it is /ɪˈməʊʃənəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in emotional?
Emotional has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MOH). Broken into parts: ih · MOH · shuh · nul.
Is emotional pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /ɪˈməʊʃənəl/ (ih-MOH-shuh-nul).