How to pronounce festival
Say it like FES-tuh-vul. Festival has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FES).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce festival. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FES
- tuh
- vul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Festival pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FESSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- tuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- vulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of festival
American and British speakers say festival in essentially the same way: /ˈfɛstəvəl/ in the US and /ˈfɛstɪvəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: FES-tih-vul.
What does festival mean?
- a day or period of time set aside for feasting and celebration
- an organized series of acts and performances (usually in one place)“a drama festival”
Where does festival come from?
From Middle English festival (adjective), from Old French festival (“festive”), from Late Latin fēstīvālis, from Latin fēstīvus (“festive”).
Questions about saying festival
How do you pronounce festival?
Say FES-tuh-vul. The American pronunciation is /ˈfɛstəvəl/. In British English it is /ˈfɛstɪvəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in festival?
Festival has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FES). Broken into parts: FES · tuh · vul.
Do Americans and Brits say festival the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈfɛstəvəl/ and the British form is /ˈfɛstɪvəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.