How to pronounce illegal
Say it like il-EE-gul. Illegal has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (EE).
- il
- EE
- gul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Illegal pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ilGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- EESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- gulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of illegal
American and British speakers say illegal in essentially the same way: /ˌɪˈliɡəl/ in the US and /ɪˈliːɡəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: ih-LEE-gul.
What does illegal mean?
- prohibited by law or by official or accepted rules“an illegal chess move”
Where does illegal come from?
Borrowed from French illégal, from Medieval Latin illegalis, from Latin legalis, by surface analysis, il- + legal.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with illegal
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of illegal.
Questions about saying illegal
How do you pronounce illegal?
Say il-EE-gul. The American pronunciation is /ˌɪˈliɡəl/. In British English it is /ɪˈliːɡəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in illegal?
Illegal has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (EE). Broken into parts: il · EE · gul.
Do Americans and Brits say illegal the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌɪˈliɡəl/ and the British form is /ɪˈliːɡəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.