How to pronounce personal
Say it like PUR-sih-nul. Personal has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PUR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce personal. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PUR
- sih
- nul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Personal pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PURSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
- sihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- nulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of personal
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: PUR-suh-nul.
What does personal mean?
- concerning or affecting a particular person or his or her private life and personality“a personal favor”“for your personal use”
- particular to a given individual
- of or arising from personality“personal magnetism”
- a short newspaper article about a particular person or group
Where does personal come from?
From Middle English personal, personele, from Anglo-Norman personel, personal, personell, Old French personal, personel, from Late Latin persōnālis (“of a person, personly”), equivalent to person + -al.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying personal
How do you pronounce personal?
Say PUR-sih-nul. The American pronunciation is /ˈpɝsɪnəl/. In British English it is /ˈpɜːsənəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in personal?
Personal has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PUR). Broken into parts: PUR · sih · nul.
Is personal 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 /ˈpɜːsənəl/ (PUR-suh-nul).