How to pronounce pastoral
Say it like PAS-tuh-rul. Pastoral has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PAS).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce pastoral. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PAS
- tuh
- rul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Pastoral pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PASSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- tuhKeep 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 pastoral
- British speakers use the long "ah" vowel of father where Americans use the "a" of cat.
British respelling: PAH-stuh-rul.
What does pastoral mean?
- of or relating to a pastor“pastoral work”“a pastoral letter”
- relating to shepherds or herdsmen or devoted to raising sheep or cattle“pastoral seminomadic people”“pastoral land”
- (used with regard to idealized country life) idyllically rustic“a country life of arcadian contentment”“a pleasant bucolic scene”
- a musical composition that evokes rural life
- a letter from a pastor to the congregation
- a literary work idealizing the rural life (especially the life of shepherds)
Where does pastoral come from?
From Middle French, Old French pastoral, from Latin pāstōrālis, from pāstor (“shepherd”), + adjective suffix -ālis.
Questions about saying pastoral
How do you pronounce pastoral?
Say PAS-tuh-rul. The American pronunciation is /ˈpæstərəl/. In British English it is /ˈpɑːstərəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in pastoral?
Pastoral has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PAS). Broken into parts: PAS · tuh · rul.
Is pastoral pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. British speakers use the long "ah" vowel of father where Americans use the "a" of cat. The British form is /ˈpɑːstərəl/ (PAH-stuh-rul).