How to pronounce shale
Say it like SHAYL. Shale is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce shale. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SHAYL
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Shale pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SHAYLSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of shale
American and British speakers say shale in essentially the same way: /ʃeɪl/ in the US and /ʃeɪl/ in the UK.
British respelling: SHAYL.
What does shale mean?
- a sedimentary rock formed by the deposition of successive layers of clay
Words that rhyme with shale
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of shale.
Questions about saying shale
How do you pronounce shale?
Say SHAYL. The American pronunciation is /ʃeɪl/. In British English it is /ʃeɪl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in shale?
Shale is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SHAYL.
Do Americans and Brits say shale the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ʃeɪl/ and the British form is /ʃeɪl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.