How to pronounce girl
Say it like GURL. Girl is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce girl. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- GURL
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Girl pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- GURLSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
American vs British pronunciation of girl
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: GURL.
What does girl mean?
- a young female“a young lady of 18”
- a youthful female person“the baby was a girl”“the girls were just learning to ride a tricycle”
- a female human offspring“her daughter cared for her in her old age”
Where does girl come from?
Cognate with Yola gurl (“child, girl”), German Gör, Göre (“brat, cheeky young child”), Low German Gör (“child”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with girl
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of girl.
Questions about saying girl
How do you pronounce girl?
Say GURL. The American pronunciation is /ɡɝl/. In British English it is /ɡɜːl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in girl?
Girl is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: GURL.
Is girl pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ɡɜːl/ (GURL).