How to pronounce uncle
Say it like UHNG-kul. Uncle has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (UHNG).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce uncle. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- UHNG
- kul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Uncle pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- UHNGSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
- kulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of uncle
American and British speakers say uncle in essentially the same way: /ˈʌŋkəl/ in the US and /ˈʌŋkəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: UHNG-kul.
What does uncle mean?
- the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
- a source of help and advice and encouragement“he played uncle to lonely students”
Where does uncle come from?
From Middle English uncle, borrowed from Anglo-Norman uncle and Old French oncle, from Vulgar Latin *aunclum, from Latin avunculus (“maternal uncle”, literally “little grandfather”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂euh₂-n-tlo- (“little grandfat
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying uncle
How do you pronounce uncle?
Say UHNG-kul. The American pronunciation is /ˈʌŋkəl/. In British English it is /ˈʌŋkəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in uncle?
Uncle has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (UHNG). Broken into parts: UHNG · kul.
Do Americans and Brits say uncle the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈʌŋkəl/ and the British form is /ˈʌŋkəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.