How to pronounce vowel
Say it like VOW-ul. Vowel has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (VOW).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce vowel. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- VOW
- ul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Vowel pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- VOWSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ow" in now.
- ulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of vowel
American and British speakers say vowel in essentially the same way: /ˈvaʊəl/ in the US and /ˈvaʊəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: VOW-ul.
What does vowel mean?
- A sound produced by the vocal cords with relatively little restriction of the oral cavity, forming the prominent sound of a syllable.“Hawaiian has either five or twenty-five vowels, depending on how they are counted.”
- A letter or diacritic representing the sound of a vowel; in English, the vowels are a, e, i, o, u, y (sometimes), and w (rarely).“The word facetiously is spelled with all six vowels in alphabetical order.”
- To add vowel points to a consonantal script (e.g. niqqud in Hebrew or harakat in Arabic).
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with vowel
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of vowel.
Questions about saying vowel
How do you pronounce vowel?
Say VOW-ul. The American pronunciation is /ˈvaʊəl/. In British English it is /ˈvaʊəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in vowel?
Vowel has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (VOW). Broken into parts: VOW · ul.
Do Americans and Brits say vowel the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈvaʊəl/ and the British form is /ˈvaʊəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.