How to pronounce yellow
Say it like YEL-oh. Yellow has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (YEL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce yellow. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- YEL
- oh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Yellow pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- YELSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- ohKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "o" in go.
American vs British pronunciation of yellow
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: YEL-oh.
What does yellow mean?
- of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk
- easily frightened
- changed to a yellowish color by age“yellowed parchment”
- yellow color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of sunflowers or ripe lemons
- turn yellow“The pages of the book began to yellow”
Where does yellow come from?
The verb is from Middle English yelwen, ȝalowen, ȝolewen, from Old English ġeolwian, from the adjective.
Words that rhyme with yellow
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of yellow.
Questions about saying yellow
How do you pronounce yellow?
Say YEL-oh. The American pronunciation is /ˈjɛloʊ/. In British English it is /ˈjɛləʊ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in yellow?
Yellow has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (YEL). Broken into parts: YEL · oh.
Is yellow pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /ˈjɛləʊ/ (YEL-oh).