Pronunciation

How to pronounce “tell

“tell” is pronounced /tɛl/ (TEL) — one syllable.
The sound

Say “tell” in one beat

Say it like this

tell

/tɛl/

The voice you hear here is American; a British voice is available in the app's settings.

1 beat
  1. telltɛl
IPA (American)
/tɛl/
IPA (British)
/tɛl/
Respelling
TEL
Syllables
1 — tell
Stress
One syllable, so the whole word carries the beat — say /tɛl/ in one unbroken piece rather than clipping the vowel.
Part of speech
noun, verb
Difficulty
Beginner — most learners get this on the first take
Meaning

What “tell” means

  1. noun

    a Swiss patriot who lived in the early 14th century and who was renowned for his skill as an archer; according to legend an Austrian governor compelled him to shoot an apple from his son's head with his crossbow (which he did successfully without mishap)

  2. verb

    express in words

    He said that he wanted to marry her

  3. verb

    let something be known

    Tell them that you will be late

Say it in a sentence

She likes to tell stories about her childhood on the farm.
Sound by sound

The sounds inside this word

3 sounds, in the order you say them

Each sound has its own page: where the tongue goes, what it is usually confused with, and words to drill it on.

Questions

tell”, answered

How do you pronounce “tell”?

“tell” is pronounced /tɛl/ (TEL) — one syllable. It is one unbroken piece — /tɛl/ — with no pause anywhere inside it.

How many syllables does “tell” have?

One, despite the 1 vowel letters in the spelling. The whole word is /tɛl/ — a single beat.

What does “tell” mean?

As a noun: a Swiss patriot who lived in the early 14th century and who was renowned for his skill as an archer; according to legend an Austrian governor compelled him to shoot an apple from his son's head with his crossbow (which he did successfully without mishap) For example: “She likes to tell stories about her childhood on the farm.” It carries 2 other senses as well — all of them said the same way.

Where is the stress in “tell”?

One syllable, so the whole word carries the beat — say /tɛl/ in one unbroken piece rather than clipping the vowel.

Practise this word

Now say “tell” and see every sound

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