How to pronounce itself
Say it like it-SELF. Itself has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SELF).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce itself. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- it
- SELF
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Itself pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- itGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- SELFSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of itself
American and British speakers say itself in essentially the same way: /ˌɪtˈsɛlf/ in the US and /ɪtˈsɛlf/ in the UK.
British respelling: it-SELF.
What does itself mean?
- it; A thing as the object of a verb or preposition that also appears as the subject“When the opportunity presented itself, no feasible course of action suggested itself (to us).”
- it; used to intensify the subject, especially to emphasize that it is the only participant in the predicate“The door itself is quite heavy.”
Where does itself come from?
From Middle English hit-self, equivalent to it + -self.
Words that rhyme with itself
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of itself.
Questions about saying itself
How do you pronounce itself?
Say it-SELF. The American pronunciation is /ˌɪtˈsɛlf/. In British English it is /ɪtˈsɛlf/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in itself?
Itself has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SELF). Broken into parts: it · SELF.
Do Americans and Brits say itself the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌɪtˈsɛlf/ and the British form is /ɪtˈsɛlf/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.