How To Pronounce Difficult
difficult
In British English, difficult is pronounced /ˈdɪf.ɪ.kəlt/. The narrow phonetic transcription is [ˈdɪf.ɪ.kəɫt̚]. In American English, it is pronounced /ˈdɪf.ɪ.kəlt/.
Difficult has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first syllable. British and American speakers say it the same way.
Slashes / / show the phonemic transcription, the sounds that change meaning. Square brackets [ ] show the phonetic transcription, with the finer detail of how the sounds are actually made.
Syllables, Stress And Endings
Syllables And Stress
Difficult has three syllables in British English, and the main stress is on the first syllable, shown in colour above. Its stress pattern is Ooo, where O is the stressed syllable.
Questions About Difficult
How do you pronounce difficult in British English?
In British English, difficult is pronounced /ˈdɪf.ɪ.kəlt/. The narrow phonetic transcription is [ˈdɪf.ɪ.kəɫt̚].
How do you pronounce difficult in American English?
In American English, difficult is pronounced /ˈdɪf.ɪ.kəlt/.
How many syllables are in difficult?
Difficult has three syllables, /dɪf/ + /ɪ/ + /kəlt/.
Where is the stress in difficult?
The main stress is on the first syllable, /dɪf/.
Do British and American English pronounce difficult the same way?
Yes. Both are /ˈdɪf.ɪ.kəlt/.
Other Words With The Stress Pattern Ooo
Nearby Words
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