How to pronounce natural
Say it like NACH-uh-rul. Natural has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (NACH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce natural. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- NACH
- uh
- rul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Natural pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- NACHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- rulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of natural
American and British speakers say natural in essentially the same way: /ˈnætʃərəl/ in the US and /ˈnætʃərəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: NACH-uh-rul.
What does natural mean?
- in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature“a very natural development”“our natural environment”
- existing in or produced by nature; not artificial or imitation“a natural pearl”“natural gas”
- existing in or in conformity with nature or the observable world; neither supernatural nor magical“a perfectly natural explanation”
- someone regarded as certain to succeed“he's a natural for the job”
- a notation cancelling a previous sharp or flat
- (craps) a first roll of 7 or 11 that immediately wins the stake
Where does natural come from?
Inherited from Middle English natural, borrowed from Old French natural, naturel, from Latin nātūrālis, from nātus, the perfect participle of nāscor (“be born”, verb).
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying natural
How do you pronounce natural?
Say NACH-uh-rul. The American pronunciation is /ˈnætʃərəl/. In British English it is /ˈnætʃərəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in natural?
Natural has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (NACH). Broken into parts: NACH · uh · rul.
Do Americans and Brits say natural the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈnætʃərəl/ and the British form is /ˈnætʃərəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.