How To Pronounce Nimble

nimble

Phonemic

/ˈnɪm.bəl/

Phonetic

[ˈnɪ̃m.bl̩]

Phonemic

/ˈnɪm.bəl/

In British English, nimble is pronounced /ˈnɪm.bəl/. The narrow phonetic transcription is [ˈnɪ̃m.bl̩]. In American English, it is pronounced /ˈnɪm.bəl/.

Nimble has two 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

nɪmbəl

Nimble has two syllables in British English, and the main stress is on the first syllable, shown in colour above. Its stress pattern is Oo, where O is the stressed syllable.

nimble + -er

-er (comparative) is /ə/ in UK English and /ɚ/ in US English. The /ə/ before the /l/ drops out, so the /l/ and the ending share a syllable.

/ˈnɪm.blə/

/ˈnɪm.blɚ/

nimble + -est

-est (superlative) is always /ɪst/. The /ə/ before the /l/ drops out, so the /l/ and the ending share a syllable.

/ˈnɪm.blɪst/

Words That Rhyme With Nimble

Questions About Nimble

How do you pronounce nimble in British English?

In British English, nimble is pronounced /ˈnɪm.bəl/. The narrow phonetic transcription is [ˈnɪ̃m.bl̩].

How do you pronounce nimble in American English?

In American English, nimble is pronounced /ˈnɪm.bəl/.

How many syllables are in nimble?

Nimble has two syllables, /nɪm/ + /bəl/.

Where is the stress in nimble?

The main stress is on the first syllable, /nɪm/.

Do British and American English pronounce nimble the same way?

Yes. Both are /ˈnɪm.bəl/.

Search All 10,380 Words In The App

Other Words With The Stress Pattern Oo

Nearby Words

Learn English and Literature with Adroit Tutors on our website, and order course materials there too.